Sailors Pathfinder : Love and Without
by MakotoJade
Summary: Sent into a world in which he knows nothing about, Mamoru Chiba is given a choice. Fight for the freedom of strangers he's never met... or suffer at the hands of an anchient friend.
1. Ripped Apart

(Version 1.2)

Author's note : This story takes place after the Ann and Alan episodes... no Chibi Usa, no outer senshi, Usagi and Mamoru are together and happy for once... everything was simple.  The original characters are, of course, not mine; credit goes to Ms. Naoko Takeuchi-sama, who I thank for giving to us such a glorious world.  However a lot of new characters are my own creation.  The topic may sound similar to a few things you've run into before (hey... nothing is 100% original anymore ^_- ), but... it's my story.  Please don't steal any of it in any way.  Thanks  ^_^

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By : Makoto Jade – makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode 1 : Ripped Apart

            "And then the five senshi dove heroically into the fray!  For love and justice they fought heroically.  After only a moment of heroically fighting, the enemy was heroically vanquished for only those who are good will triumph because bad guys are mean." Rei sighed.  "Can you believe this crap?"      The five were all at Usagi's house having a sleepover.

            Mako looked up from the comic book she and Usagi had been pouring over. "Believe what?"

            Minako slid down from Usagi's bed.  "Oh you mean that new 

novel about us?"  She giggled, "I just loved my romantic scene with, oh 

what was his name...  Oh, yes... Rowen!"

            Amy lifted her eyes from the advanced Calculus book she had 

casually been reading over, "Wha..?"

            "Oh, yeah!" Rei smiled, "Oh, Rowen -" she said, and then found 

herself laughing immediately altered the subject.  "And I never realized 

how many men Usagi had romanced... Woo-hoo, quite the lover!"

            Usagi caught the last sentence and screamed, "What!"

            "Oh, yes Usagi, we all know about all of your men!"  Rei taunted 

with a smirk.

            "My men!?!?!" She jumped up and grabbed for the book.  Rei 

tossed it to Minako.

            Minako tossed it to Mako as Usagi dove at her.

            Mako tossed it at Ami, and pulled Usagi off of Minako.

            "Usagi, you can come read it with me, I want to see this, too" Rei, 

Mako, and Minako yelled at Ami as Usagi scrambled over to her and gave 

her a hug.

            "Thanks, Ami-chan!"  They both leaned over the book and started 

reading.

            Rei sent one last scowl in Ami's direction.  She then lay down on 

the floor and stared at the ceiling.  "I can't figure out why all of the sudden 

there is so much Sailor Senshi Fan stuff out there.  Sure, there has always 

been some stuff... cheesy comics and costumes.  But in the past two 

months, there has been this unexpected surge of merchandise..."

            "That's easy," Minako said as she pulled herself back onto the bed.  

"They miss us"

            "Oh, wow," said Mako as she tossed the comic book away, "does 

somebody have an overabundance of ego building up or what?"

            Minako blushed as she tried to defend herself, "Well, we all know 

that we have fans... So, in the past two months we haven't been that active-

-"

            "That active?  We haven't even transformed!" Rei propped herself 

up with her elbows.

            "Well, see, there you go.  The world has nothing to feed their 

Sailor Senshi need.  So... ta-da!  Instant way to earn some money... just 

wish we could get in on it."

            On that note both Mako and Rei would have agreed, except for the 

fact that Minako kept talking... as always...  "Oh, and while we're talking 

about transformations, I saw the cutest thing on my way here today.  This 

little girl had a little replica of Usagi's brooch, and she was holding it up 

and shouting 'Moon Crystal Power!'  It was ssooo cute.  Of course it would 

have been much cuter had she had a wand and been yelling "Venus 

Power", but hey you can't win them all..."

            Minako heard Rei groan just before she was smacked in the face 

with a pillow.  Her attacker laughed over her, "Good thing she didn't... 

look at what a ditz she would have become.  Now if she had said 'Jupiter 

Power', well then she would have—"

            Mako was cut off as she fell foreword from the sudden impact of a 

pillow on her back, "—been having the same problem."  Rei finished for 

her, "If the poor thing wanted to get anywhere she would have naturally 

called upon 'Mars—'"

            Two pillow projectiles silenced her as an all out war began.  Ami, 

unlike her fellow reader, noticed this and tried to stop it, but only 

succeeded in getting smashed with a barrage of pillows.  Feeling it was the 

only way to avenge herself, she grabbed a weapon and bashed her way into 

the fight.

            All of this chaos lasted only seconds before they were all cut off by 

a rather loud scream.  They all looked up alert.

            Usagi looked up at them.   "I can't believe this!  I'm the cute one!"       

            The four looked at one another.  Then at Usagi.  "Um, guys what's 

wrooOOOOOAAAAAAGGGGHHH!!"  She was cut off by her own yell as 

they all dove on her at once, pillows flailing.

*          *          *

            They finally woke Usagi at eleven.  She still yelled at them.  They 

made her get dressed, gave her a box of Cheerio's, and pulled her out the 

door, heading towards the mall.  She finally woke up when she heard that 

word -- Mall. 

            They had fun at the mall—they always did.  

            As the time slowly drew near four, Usagi nonchalantly 

commented on what a nice day it was and how it would be fun to go to the 

park.  They all stopped and stared at her. 

            "Alright, Usagi.  What's going on at the park?  They giving out 

free hot dogs or something?"  Mako laughed.

            "No!  I just think it would be fun..."

            "Wait a minute... what time is it Ami-chan?" Rei asked, glaring, 

annoyed, at Usagi.

            Ami looked down at her watch.  "Um, almost—"

            "Four, right?" Rei answered with certainty, eyes still holding on 

Usagi as the other girl began to bite her lip.

            "Yeah..."  Ami answered slowly.

            "Well it just so happens that Mamoru goes on a jog around this 

time and most of it takes place in—"

            "—the Park." Mako finished as they all looked at Usagi.

            "Well, a walk would be nice..." she looked at her feet as they all 

groaned and started walking away.  She looked up and ran after them, 

"Wait!  C'mon!  It'ed be fun!!!"

*          *          *

            Rei shook her head in disbelief as they entered the park.  How had 

she       dragged them all here again? 

            Usagi suddenly became alert, scanning in all directions.  "Now 

where is he..."  She quickly ran off.

            Rei turned to the others, "You guys want to go look at the 

gardens?"  

            The other three all nodded and slowly walked towards the flowers, 

leaving Usagi to her search.  

            Inside, Rei was glad they had left Usagi, she didn't want to see her 

all over Mamoru.   She glanced at a rose, remembering a time when she 

would have searched the park for him... But that seemed a lifetime ago.  He 

was a friend, now.  Nothing more, nothing less... just a good friend...

            She sighed and walked on.

*          *          *

            Usagi scanned the park once again, where was he?  She had 

looked everywhere.  She sighed, well, maybe he didn't go on a jog today--

            Her thoughts ended abruptly as someone grabbed her around the 

waist and pulled her backwards.  She yelped and struggled, then looked up 

and behind her... only to see Mamoru.

            "Hey odango atama, scare ya'?"  

            He grinned.

            "Yes!  That wasn't funny at all!"  She tried to sound huffy, but she 

was too glad to see him.

            "Aw, I'm sorry," he said sarcastically as he spun her around to 

face him.  He looked in her eyes for a moment before releasing her.  "What 

brings you to the park?"

            You, of course! she thought instantly... But said, "We thought 

it might be fun to come here after a long day at the mall."

            "We?" he asked as he took her hand and resumed walking the 

trail, pulling her with him.

            "Yeah, Minako, Mako, Rei, Ami, and I."

            "And exactly where are they?"  

            "Um..." she glanced around, suddenly realizing she had totally 

ditched her friends... "Well... I think I heard something about the gardens, 

maybe... but they could be at the lake... or..."

            He smiled, "The gardens are on the other end of the park!"

            She thought fast...   "Well, uh, I uh, got lost..." 

            He looked at her, straight faced, even though there was a smile in 

his eyes, "But you've been to this park hundreds of times..."

            "Oh, well, I, um... I think I have really been studying too much, 

yeah... that's it... I mean, my memory is just only so big, you know..."

            He laughed outright.  She looked up at him, "What exactly is so 

funny?"

            He pulled her to him, "You, my dear..." and kissed her.

            She should have yelled at that but... aw, it could wait...

*          *          *

            The couple finally met up with the girls by the lake nearly an hour 

and a half later.  

            Rei immediately started in, "Well, did you have a nice walk in the 

park Usagi?  I thought the plan was to go together, huh?  What happened, 

you get lost or something?"

            They were all startled as Mamoru burst out laughing and Usagi 

punched him in the arm.

            Minako shook her head, "I don't want to know.  Uh, Rei maybe 

you should just leave it at that."

            "Um, speaking of leaving," Ami started, "I need to get home..."

            "Me, too," said Minako.

            "Yeah, tomorrow is Monday, and I still need to do my 

homework... and study"  Mako sighed, "I hate Chemistry..."

            Rei nodded, "So do I, but I hate English even more, all those 

conjugations... whomever invented that language should've been drug out 

into the street and shot.  And I need to finish a report..." she trailed off.  

            Ami turned to Usagi, "You coming Usagi?"

            "Um, well I... I'm gonna stay here a little while longer...You guys 

just go on without me."

            The four looked at her for a moment then collectively exchanged 

glances, said good-bye to both Usagi and Mamoru, and walked off in a 

cluster.  

            "Are you sure they won't be mad at you?"  Mamoru asked her.

            She opened her mouth to say no, when Rei's voice drifted towards 

them, "—and how dare she, all this time she blows us off and now she's 

gonna stay even longer—"

            "Um, well, ah..." 

            He simply laughed and took her hand, pulling her back towards 

the trail.

*          *          *

            Mamoru sighed.  His life lately had been perfect.  He found that 

his classes were easy, and he was making good marks.  The Dark Kingdom 

seemed to be gone for good; it had been two months since Ann and Alan 

had happily gone on their way... so the world was safe.  And Usagi loved 

him.  He smiled; that alone was enough.  He would never be alone again.  

He had found someone, someone whom he knew he could, and would 

spend the rest of his life with.  

            They had walked around the park for hours.  Now they were 

laying on the grass amongst the trees, staring up into the night sky, her 

head on his chest.  Yes, everything was perfect.  Almost too—

            "Mamo-chan?" her questioning voice brought him away from his 

thoughts.

            "Mmm?"

            "Do you ever wonder if it would have been better up there?"

            "Up there?"

            "During the Silver Milennium, living within the Moon Kingdom, 

being a Prince, if Beryl had never attacked... would we have had a better 

life?  You know, without all of the violence, the killing, we could have 

lived in happiness." her voice sounded distant, her thoughts far away.

            He thought for a moment, "I don't know...  I don't really think 

about it.  Why?"

            "I was just thinking about how it would have been, how we would 

have been... well, and I was just wondering what you thought... Do you 

remember much about that time... do you remember what I was like?  Did I 

change?  I know I'm not as courageous... or as graceful, and well... I was 

thinking that maybe..."

            He had moved out from under her and now looked into her eyes, 

"Usagi, what's wrong?"

            She looked back for a moment, as if seaching for something, then 

broke the gaze and sat up.  "Do you love me?"

            He looked at her both stunned and hurt, "How could you ask that?  

Of course I love you, I couldn't live—"

            "No, do you love ME?"

            He was now confused on top of everything else, "Tsukino Usagi, I 

love you more than I believe any person could love another...  How can 

you...  I thought—"

            "Are you sure of that, that you are in love with me and not 

Princess Serenity?"

            Realization flooded into him... Oh Usagi...  "Usagi, Prince 

Endymion was in love with Princess Serenity... in another time, in another 

place, that is over and gone, and will never return.  But here... now, Chiba 

Mamoru is in love with Tsukino Usagi... forever" 

            She looked relieved, "And I love you."

            He put his arms around her and held her.  He heard her whisper, 

"Thank you" as she put her arms around him.

*          *          *

            They were standing a few yards from her house, making sure they 

were out of the front window's line of sight.   "Thank you for a nice 

evening, Mamo-chan."

            He kissed her goodnight and watched her walk to the door.  She 

waved and went inside.  He sighed, put his hands in his pockets and turned 

towards home.  He smiled.  

            Thank you, Usagi.

*          *          *

            A crystal shattered and Usagi was screaming.  He called out for 

her, but even he could not hear his own voice.  He saw the senshi attacking 

--- something, and he wanted to help but all he could think of was Usagi as 

she screamed in pain, in agony, in -

            With a gasp Mamoru sat up in bed.  Sweat drenched him.  He 

squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, trying to shake off the dream.  

It wouldn't leave him.  He put his head in his hands and tried to slow his 

breathing.  Was it only a dream?  It had to be, but... 

            The process only took him a moment.  Throwing the bedcovers 

aside, he clambered out of bed and hurriedly put on a pair of jeans and a T-

Shirt.  He grabbed his keys and ran out the door, forgetting to lock it 

behind him.  In seconds his motorcycle was speeding towards her house.

*          *          *

            Minako woke from a dreamless sleep.  She wondered for a 

moment what had awakened her, and then she heard a motorcycle 

speeding past on the road.  She jumped to the window just in time to catch 

a glimpse of it's driver.  

            "Mamoru?"  

            She wondered about it only for a second.  Activating her 

communicator she shouted into it, "Mako, call Rei and I'll call Ami, then 

get yourself over to Usagi's house.  Mamoru just sped by my house towards 

there, and it's a little too late to come calling."  

            "I'm on my way" was the only reply as the communicator reverted 

to static.

*          *          *

            As he made the last turn onto Usagi's street, Mamoru stopped the 

bike.  His thoughts had been going through what he would do when he 

arrived at her house, and if his dream had been just that, a dream, he didn't 

want anyone, especially her parents, to be awakened late in the night by 

Tuxedo Mask.  He left the bike parked on the side of the road and 

transformed as he made his way silently to her house.  

            He crept into the yard and found her window.  As far as he could 

see, she was sleeping soundly.  He sighed, relieved... only to feel a slight 

electrical shock resound through his body.  He cried out as he spun around, 

rose in hand.  

            Sailor Jupiter stood with her hands on her hips.

            "Excuse us, but wouldja mind explaining what you're doing here 

at two am?"

            Tuxedo Mask sighed.  "Jupiter, you don't have to shock people, 

the traditional tapping works nicely."  He then noticed that all four senshi 

were there, looking at him warily.  "And what are you all doing here?"

            "You first," Jupiter asserted.

            Sighing once more, Tuxedo Mask made them move away from the 

window and then told them of his dream.  As he did, Jupiter's hands fell 

from her hips. "-and so i came as fast as I could, checked on her, and had 

the living whatever scared out of me by some psychotic girl in green." 

            Mars started "I told you all..." she stopped as she glanced at 

Venus, and just smiled in satisfaction.  

            Mercury stepped up to Tuxedo Mask. "We're sorry.  Minako woke 

up to the sound of your motorcycle and decided that you were coming here, 

Mars and I thought you were going after some monster, that you had felt 

her pain, or heard her call for you... we can only tell if she transforms or 

calls us, you know.  But Minako and Mako, they thought maybe there was 

going to be—  Well... not really, I mean, they're just really overprotective 

and, you know..."

            "I get the picture,"  he rubbed his eyes,  "I just thought you all 

knew me better than that."

            Jupiter started, "I'm sorry, I do know you better than that. I guess 

I'm just really tired.  And still a little wary about the whole day." 

            "Me too.  I guess that after today and you guys spending all that 

time—I'm sorry;"  Venus said in a small voice, as her face noticably 

reddened even in the darkness, "and now that I'm totally embarrassed and 

am feeling really bad about myself... can I please leave?"  

            Tuxedo Mask looked at both Jupiter and Venus.  Both looked 

genuinely embarrassed and sorry.  He managed a smile.  "Okay, you're 

forgiven."  

            Venus looked relieved and Jupiter clapped her hands, "Alright.  

Now, can we break this little meeting up?" she yawned, then continued, 

"I'm exhausted and I've got a big Chem. test tomorrow."

            Both Mercury and Venus stifled their own yawns as Mars went 

on, "Yeah, I have a report to finish still..."  She trailed off as everyone 

looked at her,  "Well I'm sure ONE of you has pulled an all-nighter before-

-" she stopped suddenly as a haunted look flashed into her eyes.  She 

gasped.

            Jupiter grabbed her arm. "Mars, what's wrong?"

            "Tuxedo Mask - did you say a crystal shattered?  In your dream, 

you said a crystal shattered-- right, right?!?"

            "Yes.?..."

            "Um.., well did it look like that" she pointed into the sky.

            He spun around as the other senshi looked skyward, and all eyes 

met the sight of an immense crystal hovering not so far off in the sky.  It 

cast an eerie glow as the moonlight shown through it.  

            While they all stared, Mercury whipped out her computer and was 

already scanning it with her visor.  "I can't get much from it other than 

what it appears to be, unknown substance, unknown origin... hmmm... it 

seems to have a void inside of it...hmmm..." she trailed off as her hands 

flew over the keyboard.

            Tuxedo Mask looked back at her, "Void?  As in negative space?"

            Mercury didn't even pause, "Mmm, uh, yes... guys... I'm scanning 

a power build up, unknown energy origin..."  she was cut off abruptly as 

Venus yelled.

            "It's coming straight for us!"

            Tuxedo Mask spun back around as the crystal fell... but it wasn't 

coming at them...

            Mercury cried "No it's not coming at us, It's going to crash into 

Usa—"

            That was all Tuxedo Mask heard as he sprinted towards her 

window and dove through it.  Landing on the floor in a shower of glass, he 

got up and lunged for her bed, hearing her cry as he through himself over 

her.  

            Seconds later, the crystal dove through the roof.  He braced 

himself for pain... but none came.  He dared look over his shoulder.  The 

crystal spun slowly in the center of the room.   

            "Tuxedo Mask?" he heard Usagi's muffled voice from beneath 

him.  She moved to look over 

his shoulder and gasped.  With a cry, she quickly laced her arms behind 

his back and pulled herself to him, squeezing her eyes shut.

            He continued to stare at the crystal when out of the corner of his 

eye he saw the senshi at the window.  Jupiter's tiara was humming and she 

let lose a volley of electricity; "SUPREME THUNDER!!!"

            It wrapped around the crystal and a blinding green light shrouded 

the room.  Suddenly, the door of Usagi's room, amazingly still intact, flew 

open then as her family came into the room.  Her mother instantly fainted 

and her father and brother stood shocked at the sight.  

            "Usagi -" was all her father managed to say, however, before the 

crystal thrummed and the green light slammed double strength back into 

him and his son.

            Venus on seeing this, stood and fired; "CRESCENT BEAM!!!"  

The orange beam streaked towards the crystal... and did not impact.  

Instead, it split into infinite streams of light and surrounded the crystal.  

The energy bucked and twisted, and then recondensed, flowing with twice 

the energy as the initial blast, and flew in a horizontal line at the senshi.  

            They were all unconscious in a heart beat.

            What can I do?  Tuxedo Mask's mind swam with confused 

thoughts.  Anything that hits it returns in double the force--

            His train of thought jolted to a stop as Usagi moved.  He looked 

down at her.  She was looking 

out across her room.  He saw agony in her eyes as they panned over her 

friend's bodies and when she saw her family... the agony turned to anger.

            She reached for her brooch... 

            He grabbed her hand to stop her.  "No, whenever it comes in 

contact with energy, it sends it right back... your transformation would kill 

you."

            "But... what can we do..." her question ended as she began to gape 

at the crystal.  He jerked his head back around and looked up at it.  

            An image now appeared on the largest of the crystal's many 

facets.  A dark haired girl stared at Tuxedo Mask and Usagi.  She looked 

strangely familiar.  An eerie voice rippled from the crystal to accompany 

the image's movements.  "It's her, after all our searching... finally... 

Quickly, snare her!"  

            A suction noise filled the room as part of the crystal opened up 

and the void within pulled in the air.  Tuxedo Mask quickly dove back over 

Usagi and found hand holds on the metal bars lining the bottom of her bed 

as the crystal began to pull on her...  Shock hit him as he realized it was 

pulling her, not him, nor any thing else in the room, towards it.  Usagi 

screamed and held onto him.  

            For what seemed like forever the two held on for all their strength.  

From the crystal the voice could be heard again, "Interesting, he is very 

strong... much more courageous... Quickly pull him in, maybe if she still 

holds on, we'll get her too!"

            Tuxedo Mask understood the words a moment before the crystal 

began pulling him.  His feet were pulled towards it and his hands, aching, 

gripped harder on the metal.  Usagi tried to pull him down, but only came 

up with him.  She screamed his name over and over.  

            The voice began again, "Pull harder!"

            Tuxedo Mask felt himself being pulled even more towards the 

crystal as the bed began to come off the floor.  He could think of only one 

way to try and save her.  

            "Usako, let go of me!"

            She looked into his eyes with stunned disbelief, "Never!  I love 

you!"

            He kissed her, and then, before she could stop him he had let go of 

the bed with one hand and had violently tore her arms from him.  "I love 

you" he whispered, and then let go of the bed with his other hand.

            He heard her screaming as the reality hit him.  His dream had 

been real, the senshi had fought.  Usagi had been screaming, in pain, in 

agony - for him.  He called out "Usagi!" but he couldn't hear his voice. He 

realized he was inside the crystal... the crystal that was supposed to 

shatter...

*          *          *

            Usagi watched in horror as Tuxedo Mask was sucked into the 

crystal.  It shimmered for a moment, then to her utter despair, it shattered 

across the room.  There was a glow for a moment and then nothing.  She 

looked around.  Her friends and her family lay motionless on the floor.  

            "Tuxedo Mask?  ...   Mamo-chan?"  

            Silence reigned.  

            She shook her head in disbelief.  "No...".  Her throat choked with 

a sob  "MAMO-CHAN?" . . .

            "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

*          *          *

Ep. One.  End  (Version 1.2)

Sailor Moon is ©Naoko Takeuchi

But I © this to me, ©1996 MJade Productions 

… And I truly hope she doesn't mind …


	2. In Shock

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By : MJade – makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode 2 : Shock

            *ATTN:* This is a Special Bulletin... Hello, this is KCFL News six-

o'clock.  A new and shocking story has just developed.  It seems the city was subjugated to an attack around 2:12am this morning.  An anonymous call tipped off authorities, who then rushed to the affected area.  They were met with a scene of utter destruction.  Part of the home of a local family had been totally demolished.  Three members of the family lay unconscious on the floor of a 

bedroom.  The fourth, a teenage girl, whose name cannot be released at this time, is missing.  The other three were rushed to the hospital two are being treated for electrical exposure, and one for shock.  On interviewing some of the neighbors, some say they witnessed a large object in the sky.  One person reportedly said that they saw the "Sailor Scouts" fleeing the scene... This just in, authorities have just released to the media the identities of the family....

            Rei flipped the TV off as a picture of the Tsukino family flickered up onto the screen.  Besides, who could hear the TV anyways, with Usagi sobbing in the bedroom.  She could hear Minako and Ami trying to calm her down.  She knew they wouldn't succeed...

            How could this have happened?  She put her elbows on her knees and then lowered her head into her hands and stared at her shoes.  The past twenty-four hours reeled through her mind.  There was, of course, the attack, but the images in her mind were fuzzy.  Then there was a period of nothing-ness when she had been unconscious.  But every memory after waking was all too crystal-clear...

*          *          *  

            Ami was the one who had awakened them.  She had come to first.  They had 

all surveyed the damage and were shocked to find no trace of Usagi or Tuxedo 

Mask.  Venus had called the police, then they had all retreated to her 

apartment.  As they ran, they de-transformed.  Mina snuck them inside and they 

convened a small scout meeting in her room.  Makoto expected the worst, that 

both of their friends were dead, and even if they weren't that they would never 

see them again.  Ami and Mina had told her to be rational, that there were other 

possibilities, and why did she have to be so negative. Rei had simply sat in 

silence, thinking.  However, they knew they couldn't stay there forever, dawn 

and school were approaching, and they all agreed to meet at the temple right at 

three and start brainstorming for theories and ideas.  

            Rei had returned to the temple slowly.  Her mind was thinking in cycles, 

desperately trying to figure everything out.  As soon as she arrived, which was 

well into morning and well after the time she should have arrived at school, she 

locked herself in the fire room.  

            For several hours she meditated.  Then coming out of her trance, she 

glanced at her watch.  1:23PM.  In an hour and a half the scouts would arrive, 

and she still had no idea what to think of everything and no ideas of her own at 

all.

            Desperately she tried to focus her thoughts into the flames.  She called 

out "God of Fire, God of Mars, PLEASE HELP ME!"  She stared into the flames.  

Slowly they twisted into Usagi's form.  She was crying... but where was she?  

Rei reached out for the answer, found it, then swore at herself.  The image 

disappeared as Rei lost her concentration, but it did not matter, she had found 

her answer.  As she sprinted towards Usagi's location she mentally took herself 

down a couple notches for not figuring it out earlier.

            When she arrived at Mamoru's apartment, she found the door slightly ajar.  

She pushed it open slowly and closed it securely behind her.  She made her way 

slowly to the bedroom, not knowing exactly what to expect.  She found Usagi 

asleep in Mamoru's bed, her face buried in his pillow.  

            Rei lowered herself to the bed and gently shook her.  Usagi woke with a 

start and jerked a tear stained, puffy eyed face up at Rei.  "Wha-?"  She seemed 

to have momentarily forgotten everything.  Rei watched several emotions flash 

through her eyes, though, as in the next few moments, everything came to her.  

Usagi shuddered and used one arm to push herself to a sitting position.  "Um, 

Rei-san, I..."

            Rei could sense her trying to hold herself together, probably because the 

person sitting next to her was the person who always made fun of her.  Rei 

instantly found regret in her past actions, actions that could make someone act 

this way... but now was not the time.  "Usagi-chan, it's okay."  She hugged her 

friend.  "Can you tell me what happened?"

            Usagi was startled only for a moment before she sobbed into Rei's hair.  

"Oh, Rei, it was awful, I can't believe this is happening..." then her voice was 

choked off by more sobs and tears.

*          *          *

            Over a period of time that seemed like forever, Usagi told her, very 

loosely, what had happened.  As she heard of Mamoru's fate, she felt tears 

brimming in her own eyes.  For the next while, she had cried silently along with 

Usagi.

*          *          *

            In time, Rei had looked at her watch.  The chrono read 5:43.  The Senshi 

Meeting!  "Usagi-chan," she said as she stood up, "um, I'll be right back."  

Usagi made no response, but simply grabbed a pillow and cried into it.

            Rei softly closed the door behind her and pulled out her communicator as 

she wiped tears from her face and eyes.  She wondered briefly why they had not 

called her earlier, but discovered she had turned it off.  "Minako-san, Makoto-

san, Ami-san?"

            Ami's face appeared on the tiny screen.  "Rei-san!  Where have you been?  

We've been here for almost three hours!  We tried calling you- "

Rei cut her off, "Ami-san, you and the others get over to Mamoru's apartment 

now."

            Ami's eyes enlarged significantly, "Mamoru's... Rei-san have you been 

crying?"

            "Just get here now."  Rei ended the connection and slumped down into a 

chair.  She knew she had told Usagi she would be right back, but...

            She lowered her face into her hands and cried...  She knew that Mamouro 

loved Usagi, and that they were destined to be together.  But Rei still loved 

him...

            She had cried...

*          *          *

            As she did now.  She could hear the scouts in the other room once again, 

pleading with Usagi to tell them what had happened, but when they had come in, 

she had completely lost any control she had had while Rei was in her room.

            Rei felt a hand on her shoulder.  She looked up to see Makoto kneeling in 

front of her chair.  "Rei-san, what happened?  Did Usagi-chan tell you?  Where 

is Mamoru?"

            Rei ran a hand across her eyes.  "Yeah... get the others and bring them in 

here, let Usagi-san be... I think she really needs to be alone right now..."

*          *          *

            Rei's image was blurry in Ami's eyes as she listened to her, "...and after 

she had cried for awhile, she felt her last hope was here.  She walked over 

here, I figure probably around two-thirty, two-forty-fiveish, and found the door 

open.  She searched the apartment, and when she couldn't find him, she got into 

his bed and cried herself to sleep in his pillow..."

            Ami shook her head... How could this happen?

*          *          *

Makoto was in shock by the time Rei finished.  Less than 24 hours ago, the world 

had been perfect... now their friend and comrade was... dead.  How could this 

have happened?

            Minako said those words, those they had all thought, "How could this have 

happened?  I mean, we've never had anything like this happen...  It couldn't be 

the Dark Kingdom again... Beryl is dead...  Earl and Ann are happy and gone... 

nothing is out there.  But even so; why would anything..."  she stopped and 

looked at something behind Makoto.  Makoto turned around to see that Usagi had 

come out of the room, and was now standing in the doorway looking at the rest of 

them.

            The five girls sat there, for several seconds, each hoping someone else 

would break the silence.

            Astoundingly enough, Usagi did.  "I don't remember much, now...  I was 

asleep at first.  Then all of the sudden there was a crashing of glass and 

Tux... he was protecting me.  I saw the crystal and got really scared.  The next 

thing was looking out and seeing all of you and my parents lying there.  I was 

going to transform but he told me if I did that it would kill me... then there 

was a picture, a picture in the crystal."

            Ami now reached up and took her hand.  "Usagi-chan... what was that 

picture of?"

            "I-... I'm not sure.  I think it was a person, and then all of the sudden 

I was being.. pulled toward it.  It was like a million people were pulling me 

towards it.  And Mam- my Mamo- " her heart threatened to take over again, as she 

shook her head.  "I don't know how, but he kept me from going into it.  I was so 

scared...  And then it stopped and we fell back down onto the bed.  But then it 

started in on him and I couldn't hold him..."  Her eyes swelled with tears as 

her voice quavered.  "He held on to me and wouldn't let me go... why couldn't I 

hold him..."  Her legs went slack beneath her as she fell to the floor, Ami 

jumping to catch her.  As the sobs overtook her, you could clearly hear the 

words... "All my fault..."

*          *          *

            Around 7:30 they entered the hospital, Minako, Ami, Usagi, and Makoto 

flanking Rei as she entered the building.  She walked up to the nurse behind the 

desk.  "Um, excuse me, but..."  The nurse held up a finger, motioning her to 

wait.  Rei watched as the other four sat down in some of the chairs lining the 

wall of the lobby.  Usagi sat staring off into space, a look of utter 

destruction in her eyes and one of the saddest expressions ever known on her 

face.  Minako held one of her hands.

            Rei turned back to the woman behind the desk she now leaned on.

The nurse seemed to be deeply involved in a telephone conversation, although all 

she was doing was nodding.  Rei stared at her hands for a moment.  The woman 

continued to nod.  Rei played with a piece of her hair.  The woman continued to 

nod.  Rei drummed her fingers on the counter.  The woman continued to nod.  Rei 

started tapping her foot on the floor.  The woman continued to nod.  Rei looked 

at Usagi.  The woman continued to nod.  Rei felt fire in her eyes as the woman 

continued to nod.  

            "ExCUse me, but I have a FRIEND here who would LIKE to SEE her PARENTS!!!"

Rei felt all eyes on her.  She, of course, could care less, but she could hear 

Ami sigh.  

            The nurse looked both startled and insulted.   "I'm sorry, but you'll just 

have to wait a minute like every other person in this waiting room!"

            Rei did not like waiting.  "Listen.  My friend over here has been through 

a lot in the past 16 hours, her room was utterly destroyed by some huge object, 

her parents are in the hospital, and the police have her listed as missing, and 

above all that could possibly be trivial, she lost..."  Rei realized what she 

had been about to say and slammed her fist down on the counter as she came up 

with a good way to continue, "she wants to see if her family is okay!"

            A man had overheard the conversation (well, with Rei, it was hard not to 

hear it) and was now hovering over Rei's shoulder.  "Was this girl the one who's 

house was attacked last night?" 

            "Yeah... why?"

            Instantly a thousand cameras began clicking as people surrounded the group

of girls.  "Which one is she...must be that one, look at the hair...what 

happened...are you hurt...please make a statement for the press...where were 

you...was it an alien...were you taken to a spaceship...were the Sailor Scouts 

there...did they take you...did they attack you...what exactly happened last 

night...who are you girls..."

            Just as Usagi was about to collapse (and Rei and Makoto were about to 

explode) she spotted someone out of the corner of her eye.  "Oka-san!"  She 

threw herself into the mass of people, plowed through them, and flung herself at 

her mother.  "Mom!"

            A dozen camera flashes went off.  Several times.

*          *          *

            They all sat silently outside the Tsukino's hospital room.  The reporters 

had all been denied access to this wing of the hospital.  Minako had hugged her 

folded legs to her chest and was resting her chin on her knees.  Traces of her 

tears were still evident, but her face was mostly dry.  Usagi had been in the 

room alone for over forty-five minutes with her parents.  The entire time her 

four friends had sat in silence in the hallway, each deep in thought about the 

past twenty-four hours and the effect it would have on each of their lives.  

            Minako once more went over the events and shuddered...  It all seemed too 

eerie... not right...  How could Mamoru be gone?  They had all seen him in the 

park with Usagi... Oh, Usagi...

            A single tear managed to fall as she thought once more of her dearest 

friend.  How could the girl go on, I don't know if she's strong enough.  And how 

is she holding up now, in there with her parents...?  She can't even tell them, 

we can't tell any one...  What about his friends, that boy at the arcade... 

there had to be others too.  And his apartment... did he own it?  What would 

happen to his things now that he was dea-- 

            She found that she couldn't completely think the word.  For it couldn't be 

true... none of this destruction could've happened.  They were the Sailor 

Scouts!  They didn't lose!!  She squeezed he eyes closed, wanting to believe 

that when she opened them, she would be in her bed, never having heard the 

motorcycle speed past...  Her eyes opened.  She was still in the hospital, her 

friends were all next to her, and Mamoru was still gone...

*          *          *

            Ami looked up as a door opened across the hallway.  Usagi stood beside a 

nurse who had an arm on her shoulder.  "Girls," the woman began, "Her parents 

would like to thank you for bringing her here, and they would also ask a favor 

of someone named Makoto...?"  

Ami watched as Makoto stepped forward, "Yeah?"

            "Her mother would ask if it's alright for her to spend a few nights with 

you?"

            "Of course!"

            "Well, then, thank you all again."  She looked down at Usagi, who hadn't 

moved at all during the brief conversation.  

            Ami walked up and took her hand.  "C'mon, Usagi-chan, let's go..."  But 

she found that as she moved away from the doorway, she was pulling her friend.

"Usagi-chan, please, for me!  We need to go now."

            The blonde nodded and sluggishly began moving, letting herself be led.  

The nurse stared at Usagi strangely, the re-entered the room.

            Ami slowly led Usagi to the elevator.  They all got in, and started 

descending four stories, in silence.

            But even before the elevator door opened at ground level, they could hear 

the voices.  And even before the doors had fully opened, flashes were going off.

            As the reporters' questions rang out, Ami looked for a way to get past 

them, but it was as if they were a wall... suddenly she felt Usagi's grip 

tighten on her hand.  She looked up and into her face and saw anger building--

            A shrill scream silenced the entire floor.  "LET ME OUT OF THIS STUPID

ELEVATOR BEFORE I KILL SOMEONE!!!"  Ami was stunned as the crowd parted and

Usagi pulled HER towards the door.  The entire trek took a matter of seconds, 

and then they were in the street.

            Usagi let loose, "I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS WHAT IS GOING ON!!  IS THE WORLD

INSANE OR IS IT ME?!  THIS IS NOT HAPPENING!!  NONE OF THIS IS HAPPENING...

NONE Of this is happ--"  The brief strength that anger had forced into her 

collapsed.  She sobbed as she fell to the concrete.  "MAMO-CHAN!!!"

*          *          *

Makoto picked her up.  "Usagi-san, we've got to go before the reporters come 

back." 

"Yes, Usagi-chan, please."  Minako added as she helped Makoto.

            For a moment all that could be heard were small sobs and then Usagi began,

"Makoto-san, I want to stay in his apartment... I want to be as close to him as 

I can... I can't just--"

Makoto shook her head, "Usagi-san, I don't think that's a good idea... you need 

to-"

            "Please!"

            As she looked into her friend's eyes, she saw, for the first time, how 

dangerously close to the edge she was.  Saying no might push her over... "Okay."

*          *          *

            As they all left the apartment, Minako looked at the rest of her friends.

"Are you all sure she'll be ok?"

            "Definitely not.  But it's the best we can do for now."  Rei answered in a 

strange tone.

Makoto put a hand on her shoulder.  "And what about you, Rei-san?"

            Rei moved away, "I'll be fine."  

            When they reached the ground floor, Rei took off, without a word.  The 

others looked after her.

            Minako voiced the collective thought, "Yeah, right."

*          *          *

            As soon as her friends were gone, Usagi wandered the apartment.  She went 

in his closet, found his clothes and put some of them on.  

            She then went into his bedroom and sat down on the bed.  She cast her eyes 

about the room... his room... and now, he, the one she had loved for a thousand 

years... was gone. 

            Her eyes fell on a picture, their picture.  She picked it up, gazed into 

it for a moment, and then hugged it to herself.  She let herself fall back onto 

the bed, as a wave of sadness overtook her once more...

            Outside... rain began to fall...

Ep. Two End

_Sailor Moon is ©Naoko Takeuchi_

_But I © this to me, ©1997 MJade Productions _

_… And I truly hope she doesn't mind …_


	3. Where on Earth

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By : MJade – makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode 3 : Where on Earth...

            Awakening.  All was white.  So this is death...

            Mamoru pushed himself up.  He discovered he was in a room.  A

large white room... Death is in a large, white room?  Somehow this

wasn't exactly what he had expected.  For one thing, he hadn't thought he

would be alone...

            He sat up.  He had been laying on a cot in the center of the room.

He looked down.  He was still in his Tuxedo Mask Costume... maybe... he

wasn't dead...?

            His thoughts ended as a door opened in front of him.  A tall girl

with long blonde hair entered the room.  An angel...?  She certainly

wasn't as beautiful as his angel...

            "On your feet," was the girl's only reply.

            He complied.  "Follow me," she commanded.  He hesitated for a

moment, then followed.  If this is a death test... I don't want to

fail...

            He was escorted through a length of white halls and then the girl

motioned for him to enter a large room.  He entered, and door, which he

had not seen, slid solidly shut behind them.

            Tuxedo Mask looked behind for a moment noticing that the girl had

not followed, then turned around.  He took in the room.  Large and dark,

the room was emense.  The walls and floor seemed of metal and it was too

dark to see the ceiling.  He put a hand on one of the walls, it was

cold... he could feel.  He pulled back his hand and rubbed his fingers

together.  Well so far, he could see, hear, feel and think.  He decided he

wasn't dead.  

            So when a door opened across the room, he felt no fear as he

charged upon the person entering.  The girl in the doorway didn't even see

him coming.

            She yelped and then gasped as he picked her up by the collar,

holding a rose in his other hand.  "Where am I?"

            "You- you're in the control room..."  she eyed the sharp end of

the flower.

            "And where is this control room located?"  

            "I- in the, uh the uh, Outpost Fortress... I, well, what is that

flower..." 

            Her shook her a little, as if to get her attention, "What is an

Outpost Fortress?"  

            "The last remaining defense operations site, containing refugees

and rebel fighters, all seeking justice... Please let me go..."

            "What is your name?"

            "But, why..."

            "Name?" he asked firmly. 

            She sighed, "Sage."

            "Thank you Sage, now so we're even, my name is Tuxedo Mask... Why

am I here?"

            "You were needed, well, a warrior was needed from your realm."

            "My realm... what city am I in?"

            "There isn't a city anymore it's just-"

            "Then what country?"

            "The remanants of South Morovia."

            "Where on Earth is that?"

            "It's not."

            He looked at her, daring her to clarify what he hoped she couldn't

mean... "It's not what?"

            "It's not on Earth."

            His knees quavered and threatened to give out as he set the girl

down, "Not on- how could I not be on Earth-"

            "Easy," this word surprisingly came from behind him.  That

voice...  It distracted him only for a moment, but a moment was all it

took --

            "LUMINISCENT BIND!!"  A thousand threads of energy bound his upper

body.  He fell to his knees.

            He grunted and pulled on the "ropes", yelping as they shocked him.

            "Good work, Sage."  he craned his neck around to see a tall

sillouette jump down off of a higher level in the room.  "Lucky for you I

distracted him."  That voice...

            "Aw, I don't think he would have hurt me, if I had thought that, I

woulde've caught him sooner.  I can handle my own problems."

            "Oh, but if you were smart you would have known that he might

attack you... shouldn't let your guard down."  The voice paused then, "Hey

how about getting everything up and running so I can explain things to our

guest, huh?"

            "All right, all right."

            Tuxedo Mask watched as the girl named Sage looked up towards the

ceiling and called, "Retinal Scan, DNA Test."  A beam of green light shone

down on her and a solid laser went straight into her eye.  This only took

a moment before all was dark again.

            A voice sounded.  "Voiceprint Check, Retina Match, DNA Match.

Handprint Identification, please."  She strode to the wall an spread her

palm upon it.  There was the slightest whirring noise and the voice began

again, "Scans complete, vocal range, and code."

            Sage began to sing, starting with the lowest of female altos and

rising through the roof with a shrill soprano.  Then began chanting off

what seemed to be a complex number code that seemed to last forever.

Finally she stopped and the voice began again.  "Good Evening Sage, do you

wish to allow the two other occupants of this room to remain."  

            "Yes, thank-you Signa.  Would you please activate your entire

self."

            "Of course, Sage."

            The room was suddenly alive. The floor and ceiling spilt forth

white light and every portion of the wall became as a computer screen.

Blinking lights flashed, status reports rolled across screens, any thing

that any computer could have been doing seemed to be going on all at once.

Tuxedo Mask couldn't hold back a gasp as he began gaping around the room.

            Sage turned to him.  "You like?  Built him myself, took a while,

but he works like a charm."

            He looked at her now in the light, and seeing her outfit, almost

fainted.  She wore a pink sailor top, like the one Minako had worn as

Sailor V, the characteristic bow on her chest and collar being white, with

a short pink skirt very similar to the ones the Senshi wore, tall white

boots, and shoulder length, multi-braided hair that shone a light green

tint.  Her outfit... so much like the Senshi's, yet...

            He suddenly remembered that another girl was somewhere in the

room.  He looked, and found her sitting in a chair in the dead center of

the room.  Her outfit was almost identical, yet her skirt and top were

red.  But as he looked up at her face... red eyes and jet black hair...

"YOU!  You are the one from the crystal.  Trying to kill Usako!!"  He

lunged at her, only succeding in making it a few feet as the energy bonds

shocked him again.  He still managed to look up at her.  "Why!  What would

you kill her for!!" 

            The girl seemed genuinely startled.  "Kill, kill whom?  What are

you screaming about?"

            "YOU tried to kill Usako!"  He moved towards her again and was

once again shocked.

            The girl looked up, "Oh Sage, get those things off him before he

kills himself.  He surely won't be able to help us any then"

            "But what if he-"

            "Sage..."

            "Okay, okay, but never say I didn't warn you."  She put her hands

on the energy around him and it dissapated. 

            He looked down at himself and then up at the girl still seated in

the chair.  "Why would you release me if I said I was going to kill you?"

            "Well, I would kill you before you killed me, but also, I believe

that you truly want that question answered." she had rested her elbow on

one of the chair's arms and now lowered her chin into her hand.

            He pushed himself to his feet and stared down at her, "Question?"

            "Why.  Why you are here.  I'll say this right now, we would never

intend to kill any fighter for the light.  There are too few of us as it

is.  Why do you believe we were trying to kill this friend of yours?" 

            "The minor fact that you were pulling her into a large crystal

with a vacuum..."

            "Well, we did that to you, are you dead?"

            "No..."

            "Well, then, here we are." she smiled.  As she did, something

flashed through Mamoru's mind.  A memory.  He knew her for some reason.

But how?  That was impossible...  He forced any and all other thoughts

from his mind but the question at hand.

            "Okay then, exactly why are we here?"  

            "I'll tell you the whole story, but it might take awhile..."

            "As far as I know I have all the time in the world."  

            The girl looked up at Sage.  "What is our status?"

            Sage tapped on a segment of the computer screen/wall for a moment.

"Right now, amazingly, everything seems tranquil...  Can't give you how

long though.  Scouts on the south end of the canyon say there have been

electrical problems for awhile now.  Hex5 Leader thinks one of the

DarkNites is gathering a few of the electric talents for practice."  She

scanned through several images.  "Everything else seems stable for now.

Perimiter intact."

            The other girl nodded.  "Good."  She looked at Tuxedo Mask.  "I

guess we have some time for a story then..."

            *          *          *

            "Now, you might not understand much of this story, but try to

follow as best as you can.

            "A thousand years ago, our entire galaxy was in peace.  Justice

and order reigned.  The Capital, the central city for all, was located on

the moon of your planet.  The realm was the Silver Millennium.  It was a

glorious time for thousands of years.  The rulers were all fair and just.

Kings and Queens kept up the order.

            "But as entropy rules, all good things must come to an end.  I was

born of this planet near the end of the Silver Millennium.  My parents

were the rulers of this world, Sabi, and I was the princess.  My mother 

was what is known as a Sailor Senshi.  Sailor Senshi are guardians and 

defenders of their realms.  As soon as I was old enough, I began my training, 

for as soon as I turned thirteen, I would be given her powers and be made the 

new Senshi.  

            "When I turned thirteen, I travelled to the Moon, to meet the

ruler, then Queen Serenity.  She and those before her were the only ones

who could transfer the power from a mother to a daughter.  The kingdom on

the Moon was astounding.  The Queen I can remember well.  Tall with long

white hair, and then there was her daughter, so alike, she could have been

a clone, except for the blonde hair.  They both seemed so fragile, the

princess even clung to a very handsome young man, the prince of Earth, for

his protection.  Yet, as Queen Serenity began the power transfer, there

was so much power within her.  I, as not only as a citizen, but as a

Senshi, looked upon her as unbeatable, someone unstoppable... but no one

is that strong...

            "An unknown dark energy had ammassed, unnoticed, for years.

Without anyone ever suspecting a thing, it assualted the Silver Millennium

with a deadly force.  The full strength of the attack missed us, it was

mostly directed at the Moon itself.  Caught unprepared, the planets of the

Moon's solar system were barely able to defend themselves.  And one by

one, each planet succumbed to the deadly force and was stripped of any and

all vital elements, making them uninhabitable for the rest of time.  The

planets on the fringe were turned to gas, one planet blasted to bits of

meteor and asteroid, and a few in the core, near the Moon and it's planet,

were simply turned into large floating rocks.  For a time, the Moon and

it's planet Earth alone fought off the attack.

            "All of the Senshi in systems not under heavy assault were

summoned to the Moon to fight.  Those who were older, more adjusted to

their power, were able to teleport.  I was 14, I had only had my power for

little over a year, I could teleport, but not for such a long distance.

We who could not teleport were to be taken by a large ship coming in from

the fringe systems of the galaxy.

            "This planet is about halfway between the Moon and the edge of the

galaxy, so by the time the ship arrived, many other young Senshi were

already aboard.  

            "I had entered the ship and it was about to take off for the next

planet, when the pilot began screaming and then activated the viewscreens

that were located throughout the ship.  A feed was coming in from a camera

hanging somewhere in the Moon's atmosphere, somehow, untouched.  As we

watched, we saw the four remaining Senshi of the Moon's realm die before

the dark power.  Earth's defenses had fallen, and without it, the Moon

would be lost.  All aboard the ship stared in horror.  Then we saw the

prince of Earth fall to the enemy.  Princess Serenity unbelievably jumped

after him, and was as well killed.  The viewscreen fuzzed and blipped and

in a moment all that could be seen was Queen Serenity.  She was crying.

Then she raised her wand and called out.  And suddenly everything, the

Princess, the prince, the Darksiders, everything... was gone.  All that

remained was her and two small cats.  She spoke to the cats, then raised

up a scepter.  But, as she spoke this time, although she was too far away

from the camera for any of us to hear her speak, we could hear her.  In

our minds.  'I am sorry my Senshi, we have lost, my power is gone and as a

part of my final act for the future, I must save all of you for it, for

the future.  This past will be blank in your minds for as long as it can

be.  Protect the future, all of you.'  And then she spun the scepter up

and straight towards us, chanted unheard words...

            "I remember a bright light and a faint dizzy-ness... and then an

overwhelming nothingness."

            *          *          *

            "After that I remember nothing until the memories of being a child

in this life... do you understand everything I've said, or at least have a

small grasp of it?"  The girl opened her eyes, only to be met with a

gaping Tuxedo mask staring shocked back at her.

            He couldn't believe it.  This girl, and Sage, and possibly even

the one who had escorted him here, to this room; they were all Senshi.

They knew everything about the Moon, the Silver Millennium, earth,

Usagi,.... him.  Shock was bouncing in him still as he tried to respond to

her.  "Wha... t,  what is your name?"  

            She looked at him quizzically, "Risa."

            Risa, Risa, a princess named Risa... and Sage for that matter...

but, like much of the things he had known in his past life, any knowledge

of these two girls was lost.  He only had that small bit of insight from

earlier, that he had indeed met her before...  His mind raced as he formed

a question.  "Why did you bring me here... do you know who I am?"

            Risa held up a hand, "Slow down, I'll get to why you're here, but

what do you mean, do you know-"

            She was cut off as Tuxedo Mask slowly stood up.  He reached up

towards his face and pulled off his mask.

            Sage gasped, "He's... but he can't be..."

            Risa looked up at her, "What?  Who...?"

            Tuxedo Mask shook his head.  "Still don't recognize me?"  Although

he realized the shock it might induce, he transformed anyways.  It started

out as a glimmer on his chest, then his armour and clothes spread out over

him, the sword glimmering into existence last.

            Risa gasped and Sage fainted, crumpling to the floor.  Risa fell

from the chair to her knees.  "Prince Endymion... of earth," she

whispered.  "You're alive!  My God, what have we done..."

            **        **        **

            Artemis and Luna slowly trudged towards Usagi's house.  For days

they had searched for any negative energy.  Looking everywhere for

anything that could be severely anti-peace oriented.  They had found

nothing.  It appeared that their Senshi had rid the world of the Dark

Kingdom and anything else that might wish to destroy it.

            Luna sighed, "Almost there."  But as they turned the final corner,

she stopped.  A large motorcycle loomed in her way.  "That's Mamoru's...

why is it here?"

            Artemis looked at her, "Because Usagi is."

            "At six am?"

            "Hmm, yes it is rather early..." he stopped as he got a good

glimpse up the street.  "Luna, we have more to worry about then a

motorcycle."  He began to move quickly toward's Usagi's house.

            Luna followed and gasped at the sight she saw.  A part of Usagi's

house, the part that was... or had been her room was crushed.  She ran

towards the ruins and leapt inside.  "Usagi!!" she called.

            Artemis entered the room seconds later.  "What happened?"

            "I don't know, but I will find out....  USAGI?!?"

            *          *          *

            "And I have been staying here, and will stay here until my parents

get out of the hospital."  Usagi finished and the slumped down onto the

bed.

            Luna shook her head... how could all of this be happening?  She

had searched Usagi's room for a time, while Artemis had gone to check on

Minako.  He had returned saying that all Minako had said to him was,

"Hello, Artemis.  You and Luna need to go to Mamoru's apartment before you

talk to me."  and that she refused to say anymore.  Now they had heard the

entire story, from Usagi herself and were shocked, to say the least.

            "Usagi-chan, I'm so sorry I wasn't here..."

            "It's alright, Luna, I don't think you could have helped..."

            "How long have you been here?"

            "Three days."

            "What have you been doing?"

            "Crying."

            Luna shook her head, tears in her eyes, "Oh, Usagi."

            Usagi smiled weakly, "It's alright..."

            But they both knew it wasn't and Artemis left them alone as they

cried for a time...

End Ep.3

_Sailor Moon is ©Naoko Takeuchi_

_But I © this to me, ©1997 MJade Productions _

_… And I truly hope she doesn't mind …_


	4. The Pathfinders

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By: MJade – makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode 4 : The Pathfinders

            Risa's mind was in turmoil.  How could this be?  The Moon and the Earth... he couldn't be... "It's impossible.  I saw you die.  And then the Queen destroyed your body," she shook her head.  "It can't be!"             

            She looked up at him.  He was picking Sage up off of the floor.  She moaned softly.  He looked at Risa.  "Where can I put her?"

            "Uh, um..." Risa found that her mind was very fuzzy. She motioned to a button on the wall.  "Just... just hit that."

            She watched him walk to the wall with Sage in his arms and depress the button.  It lit up.  He turned to look at her.  "Well, now what?"

            Risa was about to tell him, when suddenly she didn't need to.  The door on his right slid open and Leeota strode into the room, unseeing both Sage and him as her eyes fixated on Risa.

            "What happened?  Where's Sage, and the warrior?"  Risa answered by

simply pointing in his direction.  Leeota spun to face him.  Anger rippled

into her voice, "What have you done to her!!"

            "Me?" he said defensively.  

            "Leeota!  Transform." 

            "In front of him?"

            "Yes," Risa sighed, "He did it for us."  Leeota looked at her a

moment confused and then reached into her pocket and pulled out a Star.

            "SENSHI GUARDIAN... MAKE UP!!!"

            A green light swam over her for a moment and then she was her

SailorPathfinder self.  She turned to Risa, "Now attack?"

            "No, just... look."  Risa watched Leeota look back at the tall

dark-haired man once more.  She knew what would happen.  Now that Leeota

was in her Senshi form, she would easily recognize the Prince.

            Leeota instantly recognized him, her eyes enlarging significantly

as her mouth fell open.  Then she instantly fell to her knees.  "My

prince!"  She looked up at him, "but during the attack on the Moon... how

did you survive?" she paused, "Oh, forgive me!  I have been rather

disrespectful.  How may I serve you once more?"

            Prince Endymion looked rather startled.  It looked as if he had

expected her to faint as well.  "Well, um..." he lifted Sage up a bit,

"where can I put her?"

            "Yes, my prince." Leeota rose swiftly, took Sage and left the

room.

            Risa watched him as he watched Leeota leave the room.  Then he

looked at her.  Time seemed to stop, Risa figured he was just as confused

as she was.  She was about to suggest something when he started, "Okay.

Now... I have no idea where I am, what you or I are doing, or..." he

motioned towards the door, "who that was.  So I think the safest thing for

us to do is for you to continue with your story."

            While he spoke, she had pulled herself back up into her chair.

"Just allow me one question please... Are you alive?  The technology we

brought you here with is pretty new to us... could we have brought you

from... death?  Do you remember the battle with the Dark Kingdom?  You

died... I saw you..."

            He sighed and sat down on the floor.  "As far as I know, I'm

alive, and I _will_ explain that to you... but please, just continue on

with your story... as soon as you finish, I'll begin mine."

            She looked at him for a moment, "All right..."

            *          *          *          

            "Well, as I said I didn't remember anything after that bright

flash.  Just the new memories of this life.  This new life, this one, was

much harder than the old life I can remember now.  

            "The time period between the death of the Moon Kingdom and the

present time was very long, I don't think we will ever know how long.  I

have no idea what happened to my parents or my old friends.  I believe

they probably found the empty ship and presumed us to all be dead.  And

because Queen Serenity had imprisoned us... Senshi power was gone from the

universe, forever.. until we were reborn.

            "In the present time, the words Moon Kingdom mean nothing.  There

are stories of warriors and magic in our legends, but nothing more, and

none of the stories sound anything like what actually happened in those

times...  

            "But when Queen Serenity destroyed everything on the Moon, killing

all of the forces of the Dark Kingdom there... she failed to destroy the

remaining forces in any of the other realms... and by imprisoning the

remaining Senshi, the Queen left the universe undefended, and the

remanants of the Dark Kingdom quickly took control of what planets it

could.  And without Senshi powers... many worlds fell, unable to defend

themselves.

            "This planet was and is still under the control of a segment of

that old Dark Kingdom... the few remaining humans were either slaves... or

were raised as animals might be... for their energy.  

            "I was born 17 years ago on such a 'farm'.  I knew my parents

briefly, until I was around five or six, and then they were... taken.  I

was angry, and it was then that I started to feel like I had to find a way

out, that I had to DO something...

            "During my twelfth year... I staged an escape, taking dozens of

others with me, mostly childen.  Leeota was one of them, she is two years

younger than I, and there were other children there, that had power as

well... 

            "It was a difficult task, we had to distract the normal brainless

youmas who were guards, and that in itself was easy, I suppose.  But it is

much harder with the other DarkNites (that is what they call themselves),

for many are clever, and many have talents.  Some, like Sage mentioned

earlier are electrical talents, and can manipulate the electrical forces

of nature, others control other elements, others, sheer raw power...  It

was difficult, but it was our only hope and we made it work...

            "After fleeing the compound, however, we had nowhere to go.

Someone suggested a group of mountains in the distance... so for days we

journeyed towards them... But, halfway there we ran into another group of

escapees... they being former slaves.  Sage was among them, she is almost

precisely my same age.  We joined them.  

            "For a time we were scavengers, feeding off the foul 'bounties' of

the land, or finding DarkNite dumping grounds...  Until Sage and I devised

a plan.

            "It was our thirteenth year, and we had tired of leading around a

rather large group of children.  Keeping them all in line, making sure

they all ate, and trying desperately to hide them when the DarkNites came

looking.  So, in our thirteenth year we decided to capture a fortress...

not an easy matter, mind you, but it had to be done.  A small, youma

guarded fortress is easy to conquer, the youmas are brainless, and even

without powers they can be tricked and... killed.

            "But as we went through the contents of the place, we discovered

maps, and detailed descriptions of slave camps and 'livestock'

facilities... how could we live while others were dying...

            "So that is when the Pathfinders began... we attack, rescue, and

take over, many of us between the life years of six and, now, seventeen.

The more and more people that joined us, the more and more battles we won.

But it is not easy, to win battles against DarkNites... many were killed,

but more and more spirits were lifted as people became free and we took

over new fortresses.  After each fortress was stabilized, a group would

remain and the larger party would move on, to continue, to fight.  The

fortresses all kept in contact

            "All along the way Sage studied, for when we took over a fortress,

we took all of the technology as well, one of the things she had done as a

slave was to program the larger machines.  Sage became well adept in many

of the new ways of technology.  Which helped us greatly.

            "She and I had become leaders of a 'tribe' consisting of hundreds

of souls, all dedicated and inspired to retake our world.  She and I had

come to think that we were invincible, that we could fight any war, and

win.  Unfortunately, that isn't ever the case.

            "We made a raid on a fortress larger than we had ever taken

before, but we felt that it did not matter.  With strength, the multitude

of weapons we had picked up along the way, and relying on Sage's mechanial

talent, we knew the DarkNite fortress was ours.

            "As you can probably deduct, we didn't triumph, in fact, we

utterly failed.  Around two hundred people were slaughtered... 

            *          *          *

            "SAGE!!!"  Risa looked around desperately for her friend.  The

smoke was thick... electric bursts and blaster fire still sprang through

the air.  The smell everywhere was death.  

            She stumbled, and fell; face to face with a dead human.  His eyes

stared emptily back up at her.  She muttered a prayer as she quickly

pushed herself back to her feet.

            How could this have happened?  It was impossible...

            She screamed as an electrical burst struck her.  

            NO!!! GOD HEllllpppp m.."

            *          *          *

            "I thought I was dead, in fact, somehow... I really was.  I found

myself drifting in some sort of massive expanse of nothingness.  I called

out, but nothing responded.  

            "And then in a white light... she appeared.  The Queen...

Serenity.  Only, of course I didn't know that then.

            *          *          *

            "Wh-who are you?"

            "Oh, young one, I am sorry you do not remember... I never should

have imprisioned you all.  I wanted you to be able to return... to help

her.  Ah, that is over, and not even Pluto could change the time now..."

            "What?" 

            "You must be given back your memories... and your powers." 

            Suddenly, the two were no longer drifting, but standing in the

ruins of the Moon Kingdom.  Risa found herself in a long, light

red-colored dress which flowed around her.  She looked up at the tall

woman who stood before her.  "I-I don't understand."

            "You will."  The woman reached out with her right hand and touched

Risa's forehead with her index finger.  A symbol flashed in Risa's mind...

and then the memories... all of them, flooded into her mind...

            *          *          *

            "It was hard, hard having all of those memories come back to me

all at once.  But, when it was over, I remembered everything.  Then she

gave me back this."  Prince Endymion watched as Risa held up a wand.  It

looked somewhat like Rei's... being red and all, but the symbol and the

top were different.  "and also all of the other Senshi's power items who

had been on the ship.  She said all of them had been reborn... not all of

them still lived, but all had been brought back.

            "I can't remember what happened after that... I just woke up in a

medical facility in one of our fortresses.  Sage had sounded a retreat,

and in the wake of the fleeing, some of the braver souls looked for

wounded survivors to bring back.  Someone had found my body and I still

had a heart beat, so they brought me back.  

            "Somehow Queen Serenity gave me the ability to sense when someone

is a Senshi... I can feel it.  I give them their wands and, somehow, tell

them to say.  And when they first transform... they get back all of their

memories.  It is a very painfull experience.  We have adopted the name

"Sailors Pathfinder" for we truly aren't really Senshi anymore, like we

were then, we are Pathfinders.

            "I have only been able to give seventy-seven Senshi their wands...

I have at least a hundred seventy-five, two hundred left.  Sometimes, when

we free a group of people, we find one... but the last time that happened

was over a year ago...

            "With our newfound powers, we eaisily took over the fortress.

Many more DarkNites fell each day, we slowly became an unstoppable force.

Until the powerful ones came.  A large group of DarkNites came to this

planet, called here, we believe, to defeat us.  They now threaten us, they

are more powerful than any threat we have fought before, we need help...

            "The Senshi are now spread out around all of our fortresses, but

there are not enough of us to go around.  A warrior was needed.

Information was given to us, informing us that there was still life on

Earth, and that there were people there, people who defended the planet

and fought for the light.  we needed help, so Sage went rooting through

all of the technical files we had gathered.  She discovered the crystal

technology that brought you here.

            "Now, I know all that I have said is brief, and a lot isn't

understandable, but I ask you not to ask questions, just that you help us,

and then we can return you to the Earth."  Risa looked up at the prince.

            Her story had lasted a good long while.  And, Yes, he thought,

there are parts that are hard to understand... but the story would go on

for eternity if she explained it in depth, and I don't think she has that

much time...  "I have a question.  Earlier when I was, uh, 'talking' to

Sage, she said this was the last fortress, you just said that there were

many, how is this?" 

            "Ah, but she said the last _defense_ Outpost.  We do not attack,

we simply defend ourselves.  Our largest med facility is here, along with

all our technology, and Signa," she waved her hand around, "Sage's big

machine."

            "He is not a machine, he is an artificial intelligence unit, and

he is listening to you right now, so you'd better watch out."  They both

looked to see Sage standing in the doorway, Leeota behind her.  Prince

Endymion noticed Leeota's costume was different, similar top, but large Aladdin

type pants were on her lower section.  Her long blonde hair reminded him

very much of Usagi with her hair down... Usagi...  He shook his head.

            "Now, I would ask that you tell your story." he turned to find

Risa looking at him.

            "Ah, look Leeota, perfect timing!" Sage and Leeota moved to chairs

in the room.

            He sighed, "Alright, but my story is almost as long, if not

longer, than yours, so i'll have to cut some out..."

            *          *          *

            Leeota had tears in her eyes as Mamoru finished.  Risa!  What

pain you have caused for that poor girl!

            "And then she, Leeota, brought me in here and we began our little

chat." he finished and then stretched and stood up, "Wow, that took

awhile!"  

            *          *          *

            As he stood up he looked at Risa.  She had a tragic expression on

her face.  "I am so sorry we have done this to you!  We acted so unlike

Senshi... OHH!!  I can't believe we snatched you up like that!"

            "I can."  Endymion saw Risa look at Sage as she continued.  "We

were...ARE desperate.  We need help.  Can you help us?  I know you are the

prince and all, but from what you have just told us now, you are a fighter

as well.  We need help, can you give it?"

            All three looked at him.  "Can you return me home, to Earth?"

            "Does it matter?"

            "Sage!!"

            "Let him answer!  Does it matter?"

            He thought about it.  "No.  It doesn't.  I couldn't make myself

leave if I didn't... you are Senshi, like my Us- like Sailor Moon, and the

others.  I am a guardian to all of the Senshi, and even if I wasn't, I am

not the type to desert someone in need."

            "Alright, then.  Yes, we can take you home, and we will.  But

first we have to attack."  Sage moved to one of the wall monitors.

            "Attack what, exactly?" But it wasn't his destiny to recieve that

answer just then, for the door opened... 

            Endymion gasped as the newest occupant of the room strode over to

him.  "Mamoru is that you?  You look different with that garb on.  Wait

till Ann sees you."

            "ALAN?"

End Ep. Four


	5. I Remember You

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By : MakotoJade – makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode Five : I Remember You...

            "ALAN?!?"  Endymion's mind reeled.  He had thought he was just

about to understand everything, and now...

            Alan seemed shocked at Endymion's reaction.  "What?"  From behind

him, Sage and Leeota left the room talking, as a familiar pink-haired

girl strode into the room.  She looked around and as soon as she saw

Endymion, her eyes lit up.

            "Mamo-chan!"  she ran over, hesitated a moment, "That is you isn't

it?" and then gave him a hug.  "It's great to see you!  You look

different somehow...  I think it's the outfit, or something."  Behind

her, Risa was staring intently at some readout on one of the wall

screens.

            "Uh..."  Endymion found himself at a loss for words, so he simply

did the easiest thing to explain himself.  He detransformed into Mamoru. 

Both Alan and Ann gaped at him.

            "You can transform?  I thought only Usagi and those girls..." 

Alan looked rather confused.

            "I was the Moonlight Night, too."  The two now looked at him as if

he were insane.

            "How, if you were both in the same places at the same time?  I

don't get it."

            "Let's just say I had a little, um, 'out-of-body' experience...

I'll tell you lots more later, but now, I really would like to know why

you two-"

            "RED POWER..."  

            Mamoru spun to see who was screaming.  

            Now, the entire time Ann and Alan had been speaking to Mamoru,

Risa had not been paying attention.  So when she turned and saw some

strange looking man with a very shocked Ann and Alan gaping at him she

began her attack and dove over the chair in the center of the room at

him. 

            Her left finger, red energy charged around it's tip, was now two

inches from Mamoru's chest.  "Who are you... how did you get in here?"

            "Oh, Risa it's just Mamoru!" Ann stood now, hands on her hips

glaring at Risa.

            "Mam-who?"

            Mamoru sighed, "It's me, Prince Endymion...  Tuxedo Mask...  this

is my normal human form."  Risa glanced sideways at Alan.  He nodded.

            She smiled weakly, "Sorry."  she turned towards one of the other

walls, "- BLAST!!"  The wall absorbed the red energy.  She turned back. 

"Well, I see you all remember each other- "

            "Wait a minute... why are they here?"  Mamoru pointed at Ann and

Alan as he asked Risa, "I don't understand anymore."

            *          *          *

            "You... yes, you...  I'm bored, go find some human for me to play

with."

            The mindless youma nodded and left the room.

            "This world is so... BORING!!"  she threw a crystal and watched it

smash against the wall.  She sighed, "Nothing is happening at all.  If

only Nephlite were still with me..."  she fingered a pendant on her

neck.  She sighed and turned towards a crystal sphere.  She ran her

hands over it and called to one of her generals.  "Have you had any more

run-ins with the   little Sailor trash?"

            "No, my Queen, they are simply protecting their borders at the

present time, and you have not ordered us to attack in quite awhile."

            She pondered this in her mind.  She could easily wipe out the

Senshi, but their occasional attacks always seemed to cause a brief

spirit of excitement, like the old days when Queen Beryl had commanded

them all.  But, one humongous battle could provide enough excitement to

last quite awhile, but then afterwards it would be just as boring... but

the battle would be so much fun...

            "General, I want you to gather your DarkNites, yes, all of the

youma in your command, and prepare for an attack.  Do you have any

fliers?  Good, I have a special mission for them, but first, let me

contact the other generals and together we'll go over my plans."

            "Yes Queen Hydrazite."

            Hydra smiled a wicked smile, "This could be much fun... much fun

indeed..."

            Her laugh echoed through the castle and it's evil rippled through

the current.

            *          *          *

            Suddenly, Risa shivered.  Mamoru felt a chill run up the back of

his neck, "What was that?"

            "What was what?"  Alan looked at Mamoru.

            "Something only we could feel, a tendril of dark power reaching

out to us through our energy current.  Something is happening

somewhere,"  she looked up, "Signa, get Sage in here."

            Risa looked back down at Mamoru, "Now what don't you understand?"

            Mamoru sighed, "Why Ann and Alan are here."

            "Didn't she tell you?" Alan looked at Risa.

            "NO!"  Mamoru found himself becoming rapidly frustrated.

            "Oh, Mamo-chan, it's all very simple, really," Ann began as she

put a hand on one of his arms.  "After we left your world, we traveled

around a couple solar systems, looking for a place to live, a place to

start over again.  Well, somehow, it was almost as if the people of this

world were calling to us, or if the planet itself was beckoning, either

way, we ended up here."

            Alan started in, "We could immediately feel a dark presence.  We

investigated, and were attacked by some of the DarkNites..." he turned

to Risa, "Does he know what DarkNites are?"

            Risa nodded as Alan continued, "Some of the elemental talents

attacked us... water, fire, electricity, easy to fight off, but there

were just too many of them.  We might of been killed had not the Senshi

showed up to help," he looked at Risa and she took up the story.

            "We could sense that a fight was going on and we decided to find

out exactly who was fighting.  We arrived, helped them, and them brought

them back to the fortress."

            Ann began again, "They explained to us their situation, as they

presumably did for you.  We told them we would help if we could.  After

a time, when we discovered how in need they were of help, we suggested

they try to find Sailor Moon, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Mercury, and the

Moonlight Knight... well, I guess you."

            Mamoru looked at Risa, startled, "I thought you said you didn't

know there were Senshi, I thought you said you were just looking for

warriors.  I thought-"

            "LUMINISCENT BIND!!!"

            Mamoru found himself wrapped in pink energy bonds once more as he

fell to his knees.

            "SAGE!!!"  Ann was livid.  

            "Wha?"  Sage (who had entered the room but a moment before,

responding to Risa's call, and discovered it contained one occupant she

did not recognize) had acted exactly as Risa had.  

            "Sage, it's Prince Endymion... this is his human form."

            "Ah... Sorry!"  Sage put her hands on the threads of energy and

they dissipated.  She turned to Risa, "You called?  I assume it was

about that dark energy that was just running through the current?"

            "Yeah, check it out, okay?"

            "Mhmm," Sage's fingers flew over the wall.

            Alan was helping Mamoru up.  "Now what were we talking about?"

            Risa nodded, "I remember.  We were shocked when we heard of the

Sailors, but then we assumed that they were just warriors of Earth who

had taken the names of the old, well to them, legends.  Ann and Alan

assured us they were worthy warriors, so we sent out a crystal.  It was

the first time Sage had gone through the process, and it took us quite

awhile to find the girl named Usagi..."  Risa paused, "Usagi... the

rabbit... oh, I should have figured it out,"  she sighed and continued,

"And as soon as we did, we tried to get her, but I watched you, and you

seemed to be so much stronger-"

            "Didn't you see Jupiter and Venus?  Both of them attacked the

crystal, it about killed them too, in fact, it might have killed

them..." his thoughts momentarily went to images of Ami, Minako, Rei,

and Makoto, "But, if you saw them, you should have recognized..."

            "The power fluxes!  That was what caused them!"  Sage smiled

crazily, "I knew I had done everything right!"  They all turned to look

at her.  She blushed and turned back to the wall.  

            "I didn't see them.  I only saw you and the... Princess just

before we began pulling you towards the crystal.  We wanted to get her,

she was the one Alan had told us to look for.  But you just seemed so

much stronger... and it had been so long since we had begun... and we've

lost so many people and fortresses... only a few remain.  We try to

protect them... they're only civilians, not that it matters, the word

civilian has no meaning to the DarkNites or Hydrazite."

            A cold shockwave ran through him.  "Who?"

            "Hydrazite, the Dark Kingdom General who dubbed herself Queen when

Beryl died... or when she thought Beryl died."

            Mamoru closed his eyes as he allowed the memory that had begun in

the back of his mind to work it's way to the front.  A thousand years

ago... peace... living on Earth... he was a prince... his generals...

four... or was it... Jedite, Neflite, Zoicite, Kunzite, and...

Hydrazite?

            "Mamo-chan?"  Mamoru jerked his eyes open.  "What's wrong?"

            Mamoru shook his head, "Just uh... thinking.  I'm okay."

            "FLIGHT....!!!"

            A blonde with fire in her eyes stood before him holding a winged

creature of some sort made of pure green energy, beautiful and lethal. 

"Who Are You."

            "LEEOTA!"

            Mamoru sighed.

            Sage screamed.

            Every one spun towards her.  "They're attacking!!!  Thousands of

DarkNites descending on Hex 9, 5, 7, 3, 6, and 11 squads...  and 5, 3,

and 6 have no Senshi!!  Hurry we gotta get out there, NOW!!!"

            Ann quickly grabbed Leeota's wrist and explained Mamoru. 

"STRIKER!!!"  Leeota discharged her power into the wall.  Alan, Sage and

Risa were already out the door and Leeota was in their wake.

            Mamoru stood, "Wha?" 

            "Come-on, Mamo-chan, we've got a battle to fight."  She grabbed

his hand and pulled him after the others.

            **        **        **        

            Usagi gazed around the room.  What should she take with her?  She

had discovered that Mamoru owned the apartment, so she didn't have to

worry about it just yet.  She had called all of his employers and told

them that she was his little sister and that he had been in a serious

accident, and that she didn't know when he would be able to return.  She

couldn't bear to tell them that he was dea...

            Usagi fought the pain and tears as she tried to get her mind into

the present.  What would she take with her?  She didn't know when she

could return anytime in the near future.

            She went through his closet and took out a few of his shirts and

put them into a duffel bag, and then lovingly nestled his picture of

them amongst the shirts.  She looked around the room and then zipped up

the bag.  She grabbed his pillow, put it under her arm, and then picked

up the bag.  She grabbed the key and then moved out into the main room.

            Makoto looked up at her, "You ready to go?"  Usagi nodded.

            They both moved towards the door... but suddenly something caught

Usagi's eye.  A vase full of roses.  He loved roses, he had made her

love them too.  All of them were either dead or dying... except one.  It

shot up bright, alive, and beautiful amongst the decay.  It reminded her

of hope...  "Wait a minute Mako-chan."

            She walked over to the vase and pulled out the rose with her free

hand.  She turned back towards Makoto, "Alright, let's go."

            Makoto gave her a smile, held the door open, then followed Usagi

out the door.

            The click of the door locking echoed through the room.

End Ep. 5


	6. Usako

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By : MakotoJade – makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode 6 : Usako

            Hydra smiled... the battle had begun.  She looked at a chrono that

now ticked beside her.  "General?"

            "Yes, my Queen?"

            "In exactly four hours on my mark, take your fliers and attack,

understood?"

            "Yes, my Queen."

            She watched the chrono tick, "Mark."

            *          *          *

            04:00

            *          *          *

            Sage was into the courtyard before anyone else.  She could see a

darkness in the air in the distance.  She turned as Risa ran up behind

her.  "We waited too long... this is it."

            Risa nodded, "Yes.  Now, you go, you and Leeota, teleport out to

the nearest Hex Leader and help." 

            "No, Risa, think!  Send Leeota out there, you go to the nearest

fortress and gather it's Senshi, then have one of them teleport to the

next fortress and so on, we need everybody.  I'll get together everyone

here and head out ASAP."

            Risa grinned, "You always think ahead."

            Sage smiled, "I'd like to think I do... Go!  I'll send Leeota, and

Alan and Ann."

            "Mamoru?"

            "Him, too."

            "Alrighty... catch you later friend."

            "Good journey."

            Risa was gone in an eclipse of red as Leeota and the others ran

out.  Sage turned to them.  "Leeota, head out towards the nearest Hex

Leader and help.  Alan... Ann, head out a little farther then her and help

the next group who needs help," she turned to Mamoru as Leeota dissapeared

in a flash of green, "Can you fight?"

            "Hey, you saw the roses."

            "You'll have to tell me about those later...  can you fly?"

Instantly Tuxedo Mask stood before her.

            "Yep."

            "Then follow them," Sage said motioning at Ann and Alan.  They

took off and flew out over the horizon.  

            Sage turned and ran back into the Fortress.  "Time's ticking..."

            *          *          *

            03:51

            *          *          *

            Risa flared into existence outside the nearest fortress.  She ran

up to the door and threw it open.  Two Senshi guards met her, powers set

to blast her if need be.

            She smiled, "Well... as long as your're ready to attack..."

            *          *          *

            03:47

            *          *          *

            Hex 5 leader suddenly saw a green light and a ray of hope entered

his thoughts. "Leeota?"

            As she came over the hill towards him she smiled, "Need some

help?"

            "Do we ever, can you get up and at all of the fliers around here,

would end a lot of confusion."

            "Understood."  Leeota was running towards the area in which she

could see the nearest flier overhead.  Leaping into the air she chanted

her attack.

            "ECLECTIC LIGHTNING...!"

            Two fliers came towards her.  Inside, she smiled; Outside...

            "SURROUND!!"  Green lightning came from everywhere in the sky and

she redirected it and blasted the two Nites to dust.  She fell to the

ground in a crouch.  She stood up and smiled, "Two down..."    

            *          *          *

            03:35

            *          *          *

            Sage quickly rummaged through her things looking for her datapad

and a bunch of other miselaneous items.  As she found something she

thought she might need she dropped it into a light weight crystalline bin.

As soon as she found her datapad she through it in, grabbed the the bin

and was in Signa's room in half a second. 

            "Signa?"

            "Yes, Sage?"

            "When was the last time you updated your backup files?"

            "Two-point-o-seven hours ago, Morovan time."

            "How long for a new reupdate?"

            "Three-point-twenty-seven minutes."

            "Do it Signa, now!"  She was in the courtyard again in a moment.

The seventeen other Senshi of the Outpost Fortress were out there.  

            "Listen up, Pathfinders... this is it, no more defending the

Fortress, this time, defend your life, and the lives of all humans.  You

two," she pointed at two of the average fighters, "You stay here and guard

the Fortress and the people who thrive here, the rest of you, teleport out

to the Hex leaders and armies and ask if you can help.  Help them, help

each other, save the world.  Good Journey."

            "Good Journey," was the chorus of replies. The there were 15

flashes in a rainbow of colors, and the remaining two took up position by

the outer doors.

            Sage was once again in Signa's room.  "How much longer?"  

            "One-point-o-three minutes."

            Sage sighed and paced the room, was there anything else she needed

to do?   Not anything... have to get out there...  She reached out with

her mind, to try and contact her friends.  Leeota was fine, dusting

DarkNites left and right; Mamoru seemed okay, though her contact with him

wasn't that strong; Ann and Alan were fighting... Ann and Alan...

            "Done Sage."

            "Uh, thanks Signa," she opened the drive and pulled out the backup

disks and gently placed them in the bin and had it form-seal itself shut.

She kissed her hand and then put it to the wall.  "Stay safe, Signa."

            "You as well, Sage.  Good Journey."

            "Thanks, Signa, you too."  She ran out into the main hall, almost

to the courtyard, and stopped and looked around the building.  She had the

eeriest feeling that she would never see it again.  She shook the feeling

away and ran towards the door... then skidded to a stop just before

reaching it.  Ann and Alan... I shouldn't... if I die, they'll never

know, but I have to...  She hefted her bin, turned towards the West Wing

and took off in the run.

            *          *          *

            03:15

            *          *          *

            Risa landed in a red flash before Hex 5 leader.  "Need any help?"

            "Leeta is out there taking out fliers, if you could help my people

take out the elementals on the ground-"

            "Understood."  Risa ran off towards where she could see flashes of

blaster fire. 

            She saw a human fall from a blast from a DarkNite, and she

summoned her powers as she ran to attack it.

            "RED POWER... BLAST!!"

            The DarkNite fell.  She fought on.

            *          *          *

            02:59

            *          *          *

            It took Ann, Alan, and Tuxedo Mask awhile to fly out to a group

which had no senshi, but when they reached Hex 6 squadron and saw the

death, they knew they had found a group that needed their help. 

            A soldier ran towards them as they landed, "Hex 6 Leader is dead!

Please can you help us?"  Blood oozed from a slash on his arm, every human

around seemed to be fighting a loosing battle.  

            Not for long... thought Alan.  "Of course, you need help...

Tuxedo Mask, before you fight, collect all the injured and take them over

past that hill," he pointed a short ways off.  

            Tuxedo Mask nodded, picked up the man and flew off towards the

hill.

            Alan smiled at Ann, "Ready?"

            She grinned, "Of course!"

            They turned, quickly floated into the heat of the fight and began

blasting away at every DarkNite in sight.

            *          *          *

            02:29

            *          *          *

            Tuxedo Mask punched the attacker once more and the thing finally

hit the ground and stayed.  He had hurriedly moved all of injured and now

fought.  

            He spun around, trying to check on Ann and Alan.  Both seemed

fine, blasting monsters left and right.  He wondered how everyone else

was.  

            He didn't have much time to worry, though, as some other DarkNite

jumped out in front of him.  He yelled as he attacked...

            *          *          *

            02:11

            *          *          *

            Risa suddenly found herself surrounded by a group of DarkNites.

She smiled, "Oh, I love using my other powers!"  She spun herself around

in a circle and then jumped up into the air.

            "INTERTWINED RED THUNDER!!" 

            Thousands of energy tendrils whipped from her, bound themselves

into several stronger pieces, and each piece ran through one of the

DarkNites.  "Dusted!"

            Yet, even as she fell, another DarkNite attacked she dodged and

blasted at it with her Red Power Blast and vaporized it.  She looked over

at Leeota who had finished off the fliers and was dodging an enemy as she

fired at the same time.  She smiled and found another target.  The battle

seemed to be in their favor.

            *          *          *

            01:56

            *          *          *

            Ann blasted at another monster and almost enjoyed watching it die,

but she fought back the emotion... Death should not bring one joy...

But, she hesitated one moment too many, for suddenly she was being grabbed

from behind.  She yelped, but it fell from her in a moment.  She spun

around and found Alan smiling at her, "My dear, please watch your back."

            She smiled sweetly and then blasted the monster who stood behind

him, "My dear, please watch YOUR back," she replied, mockingly. 

            He grinned, and then they turned, back to back, and continued to

fight.

            *          *          *

            1:31

            *          *          *

            Tuxedo Mask had suddenly found himself outnumbered.  He threw

another rose at someone else, but they simply dodged... they were

learning, they expected it.  Well, it's time to do something they don't

expect.

            He concentrated and transformed himself, but somehow... it was

different this time, it seemed harder to transform... but it happened,

even so, and then Prince Endymion stood before the group of DarkNites.

            One courageous one lunged at him.  "Aw, you shouldn't have done

that," he said as he dodged, "you've gone and make me mad."   He drew

his sword and smiled.  In several quick slashes, he was alone.

            Ann was hovering a short ways away from him, arms crossed.  "That

was very gruesome."

            "Uh, thanks... I think.  What's Alan doing?"

            "Nothing much."  Endymion turned to find Alan hovering towards

him.

            "Well, what do we do now?" asked Endymion.

            A soldier strode up to them, "I'd like to thank you for helping

us."

            Alan smiled and took her hand, "Our pleasure, do you have any idea

what we can do now?"

            "Well," she smiled, "I'd love to ask you to stay here and help us

clean up," her expression grew cold, "but Hex squad three has been

screaming all over the headsets for help, they're running out of men and

time."

            "How can we get to them," asked Ann.

            "Well, did you come fron the Outpost Fortress?"  They nodded.

"Well, you probably headed out straight east and hit us, Hex three is

South East of the O.F. so head in that directin," she pointed off in the

distance, "and you'll run straight into them, if they're still there by

the time you get there..."  she said thanks once more and then jogged over

to where the squadron was amassing.

            "Well, let's get going."  Alan began to fly off in the proper

direction.  

            Endymion detransformed back into Tuxedo Mask, "Ow."

            "What?" Ann looked at him, concerned.

            "My transformation... hurt somehow.  Ah, well, figure that out

later."  He leapt into the air... and fell flat on his face.

            Ann was instantly beside him, "What happened!!"

            "I-I don't know... I, I can't fly."

            Alan was coming back, "What's wrong?"

            "Mamoru can't fly!"

            Tuxedo Mask tried to move up into the air, but only managed a

slight hover before he fell to the ground, gasping.  "I-I..."

            Suddenly Alan picked him up under his shoulders and pulled him

into the sky, "We'll figure out what's wrong later, now, we have to help

those people."  

            The trio took off in the direction of Hex 3 Squadron.

            *          *          *

            01:06

            *          *          *

            "RED POWER BLAST!!!"

            Brilliant red energy leapt once more from Risa's gloved finger

tips.  Another DarkNite fell as she swung to attack again... there were

just so many of them...

            "FLIGHT STRIKER!!"  She could hear Leeota attacking, although she

could not see her... there were so many of them... they needed help...

            "PATHFINDERS, JUMP!!  HEX SQUADRON FIVE, GET DOWN!!"

            Risa actced without thinking, leaping into the air, in her

peripheral vision she saw Leeota go up as well.

            "SHINING STAR.... ANNIHILATION!!!!!"  

            A sweeping wave of pink stars tore through the field, killing

everything still standing on the ground.  Risa hit the ground as soldiers

stood up, dusted themselves off, and cheered the figure standing up on the

hill.  She looked up just in time to see that figure collapse.

            "SAGE!!"  she tore across the field towards the hill.  Leeota was

a second ahead of her.  Their friend lay in a heap on the ground.

Whenever a Pathfinder used their greatest power, it drained them for a

time... could be an hour, could be a week, it depended on the Sailor.

Sage, luckily, was a quick rejuvenator.  

            She grinned as they hauled her up and draped her arms over their

shoulders, "Did I get them all?"

            "Sure did,"  Leeota smiled, "you like doing that, don't you?"  

            "Mhmm," Sage sighed, "just wish I didn't feel so driained."  They

dragged her down to where Hex 5 leader stood giving orders to his squad.

He smiled at Sage, "Thanks."

            She grinned, "Anytime."

            "What can we do to help?" Risa asked him.

            "I suggest heading towards Hex 3, they sound desperate."

            "And they are?"

            "That way." he pointed off in the distance, thanked them again,

turned and began barking orders.

            Leeota looked at Sage, "Can you teleport?"

            Sage nodded, "If you two help."

            Risa smiled and grabbed Sage's right hand as Leeota squeezed her

left, "Let's go!"

            They dissapeared in a flash of weak pink, bright red and green.

            *          *          *

            00:49

            *          *          *

            Tuxedo Mask looked around.  Death and human blood scarred the

ground, screams of terror echoed amongst the hills.  "Dear Lord..."

            Alan blasted at a nearby DarkNite, "Let's get to work."

            Sheer energy and deadly roses zinged through the air.

            *          *          *

            00:27

            *          *          *

            Risa blasted at another DarkNite.  This seemed easy, almost too

easy...  But then one had to consider the fact that six warriors were

fighting with this Hex sqadron... still, a chill ran through Risa,

something just didn't seem right.

            *          *          *

            00:13

            *          *          *

            Leeota fired again and again, "FLIGHT STRIKER!!"  Sage watched her

from a distance.  Leeota and Risa had set her down behind some large

rocks, far off, where she could be safe, drained of power as she was, but

by now, she could feel them coming back.

            The body of a rather human-looking DarkNite lay near.  Looking

around she darted over to it.  It was disgusting looking and black blood

oozed from it's chest.  Suddenly, however, Sage could hear a crackling

sound coming from it's head.  She discovered it wore a headset over it's

ears.  What a find!!  I wonder what I can pick up...  

            Sage pulled the headset off and put it on over her own ears.  "Set

and ready...fliers launching now... in almost eight minutes..."  her eyes

widened in sick horror as she listened...

            *          *          *

            00:07

            *          *          *

            A cheer went up as Risa's red energy punched through the last

DarkNite.  She smiled as Leeota ran up and hugged her.  "You did it!"

            Risa smiled as Alan, Ann, and Tuxedo Mask ran up to them, "No, we

all did it!"

            She looked around, those who remained of Hex 3 squad cheered and

hugged each other, Alan and Ann hugged each other... she looked at Tuxedo

Mask... I wouldn't mind if he hugged me...    

            Suddenly Sage's voice rang through the cheer, she was running

towards them, "HURRY, we have to go, we have to, we have-"

            *          *          *

            00:05

            *          *          *

            Suddenly, without warning, a group of DarkNites flew low overhead.

"Get DOWN!!" Tuxedo Mask shouted.  He saw Ann pull Alan to the ground, and

Risa and Leeota dove down, but Sage stood summoning her powers, "SAGE!!"

            "INFINITE FLARE BURSTS!!"  She shot up waves of energy at them,

but the DarkNites seemed laugh.  The pink energy richoched off of a

shimmering energy field and then streaked back towards Sage.  She couldn't

get out of the way fast enough...

            Until Tuxedo Mask dove at her, carrying them enough to just miss

the pink energy which proceded to blast into the ground, showering them

with stones and dirt.

            *          *          *

            00:04

            *          *          *

            But Sage tried to push him off of her, "We have to attack!"  She

finally succeded in thrusting him away.

            "Too late, they went that way,"  Sage looked to see Alan pointing

to the North West.

            "NOOO!!"  Sage stumbled up and started running in that direction.

            *          *          *

            00:03

            *          *          *

            Hydra stared at the chrono, "Almost..."

            *          *          *

            00:02

            *          *          *

            Everyone ran after her.  "NOO!!" she shouted once more, "SIGNA!!"

            A sick feeling suddenly took over Tuxedo Mask.  He ran fast enough

to grab her arm, and tried to pull her to a stop, "What do you mean?"

            *          *          *

            00:01:00

            *          *          *

            "Almost..."

            *          *          *

            00:00:31

            *          *          *

            Sage simply shook him off and kept running.  They all followed her

towards a hill.  She stumbled and ran up towards it's top.

            "Four..."

            "Oh, Please..."

            "Three..."

            "Oh, Please..."

            "Two..."                        

            "SIGNA!!!"                  

            "One..."                        

            "NOOOO!!!"   

            *          *          *

            00:00:00

            *          *          *          

            "Boom."  An utterly evil laugh reaked through the current.

            *          *          *

            Sage hit the top of the hill, stopped, and fell to her knees.

"NNNOOOO!!!"

            In seconds the rest saw what she screamed of.  Off in the

distance, something, something big, was rapidly and cataclysmically

exploding.

            Risa screamed as she fell to her knees, while Leeota stood in

shock, both of them understanding.

            Ann, Alan and Tuxedo Mask looked to Sage, words came through her

sobs, "I heard it... on one of their headsets... anti-matter bomb... why

didn't I realize... was so easy...  if only sooner... could have stopped

them... oh Signa..."

            Tuxedo Mask pointed off towards the destruction, "That's not... I

mean it isn't-"

            Leeota looked at him, the eeriest look on her face, "I'm sorry, my

prince, it is..."

            Ann screamed, "The TREE!!"

            Sage looked up at her, "No, I-I moved it, before I left, it-it's

in the forest.."

            Ann fainted into Alan's arms, "thank you..." he whispered.

            Tuxedo Mask grabbed one of Sage's arms and hauled her up to face

him, "Did you happen to grab any of those crystals!?!"

            Sage sobbed.

            He shook her, "Did YOU?!?"

            "The-the cr-ystal technology... was a part of Signa's core system,

and he's... he's..."  she sobbed.

            "I CAN'T LEAVE... I CAN'T GO BACK?!?!?"

            "I-" she gulped, "I'm sorry," she whispered.

            He dropped her and she fell to the ground.  

            Tuxedo Mask staggered away down the hill, towards the destruction,

and stopped when his legs threatened to give way beneath him.  He held his

head in his hands.  Tears filled his eyes... he squeezed them shut, shook

his head... it was all a nightmare, a horrible twisted nightmare.

            He opened his eyes and blurrily saw the final explosions of the

Outpost Fortress.

            A cold emptiness filled him as he moaned and then screamed into

the air, "Usagi!!!  NNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

            "UUUUSSSSAAAAKKKKOOOO!!!"

            *          *          *

            *          *          *

            Usagi sat up in bed with a gasp.  She had had the same nightmare

again; only it wasn't a normal nightmare... it was real, because every

time she relived it, every time the crystal shattered... he was still

gone.

            She fell back down on her pillow.  She gazed around her new room.

It was identical to her old one, but there were bare spots here and there

where items she had had on her shelves and walls were missing, having been

destroyed in the attack.

            She had been able to sleep in Mako's apartment, and she had slept

almost soundly wrapped up in his bed... but she would never be able to

sleep here again... every waking moment it happened in her mind again.

            Usagi got out of bed and walked over to her closet.  She pulled a

duffel bag out from behind a couple of boxes.  She unzipped it and pulled

out one of his shirts.   Then she picked up the pillow which had also lay

in the back of the closet.  

            She pulled off her pajama top and kicked off the bottoms.  Then

she pulled on one of his shirts and hugged it to herself.  Then she

dragged the pillow towards the center of the room.

            Usagi lay down on the floor, hugged the pillow to her, closed her

eyes and cried... How can I go on?  How can I possibly live like this?

He's always there... always in my mind...  Maybe, maybe I should try... to

forget... 

            She slowly fell asleep...

End Ep. 6


	7. Plans

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By : MakotoJade – makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode 7 : Plans

            "Usagi, dear."

            "Mom?"

            Her door opened, "What are you doing sleeping on the floor!"

            Usagi sat up and rubbed her neck, "Getting a really bad stiff

neck.  What do you want?"

            "Well, you have some guests..."  her mother stepped out of the

doorway as Rei, Ami, Minako, and Makoto stepped in.  Makoto closed the

door behind her.

            The five sat in silence for a moment.  The four recognized the

shirt she wore.  She recognized their recognition.

            Mako started first, "Hi, Usagi.  We thought it might be fun to do

something today."

            "Guys, I..."

            Rei interrupted, "Look, we know you haven't wanted to do anything

for the past who knows how many times we've asked you to do things, but

you need to do... well, we need you to come with us."

            "Why?"

            "Because I need a new dress for a Sailor V promotional dinner I

have to go to, and with only four votes, we can't make a decision on a

dress, you can be the tie-breaker!"  Minako smiled at her.

            "Look... I-"

            "Please!"  Ami smiled at Usagi.  

            Usagi looked at each of them in turn, "Whatever."  

            "ALL Right!" Makoto grinned as she helped Usagi up, "this is going

to be fun!"

            Usagi mumbled to herself as she moved at her closet.  She stared

at all of her clothes.  She hadn't been out of her house at all except for

school, and for that she had worn her uniform.  What to wear, what to

wear?  She finally selected an outfit.

            Her friends talked excitedly across the room from her as she

dressed.  What was wrong with them?  They all seemed so happy at times,

how could they feel like that after what had happened?  She moved to her

dresser, put up her hair and put on a pair of earrings, then turned to her

friends.  "Okay, let's go."

            Her friends turned, all talking and smiles to go, and suddenly

quieted.  "You're wearing THaT?"  Rei asked.

            "Yes."  Usagi replied staring directly back into Rei's eyes.

            Rei started to protest, but Ami cut in before she could, "All

right then, let's go."

            *          *          *

            Minako had linked elbows with Usagi and had begun to talk to her

excitedly.  The two were a few steps ahead of Makoto, Rei and Ami.

            "But, guys, she is wearing ALL BLACK!!," Rei whispered to Ami and

Makoto.  "Black shoes, black shirt, black jeans, black socks, black

earrings, black hairties... there's something wrong here!"

            "Rei," Ami started, "she's still grieving-"

            "But, she's been grieving for-"

            "Rei!  Shh!"  Makoto quieted her friend.

            "Sorry, but I just think she shouldn't be doing that, it's not

healthy, she needs to be... I don't know... but it's just not right..."

            Makoto touched her arm, "Hey, I agree, but I think we need to let

her do what she wants to-"

            Usagi had stopped walking, yet did not turn around as she spoke,

"You know, I just hate it when people talk about other people right behind

their backs, don't you Minako?"

            Ami and Makoto blushed as they looked at their shoes.  Rei

clenched her fist.

            "Ummm, c'mon Usagi, the store is just around the corner," Minako

glanced back at the others as she pulled Usagi around the corner.

            Ami and Mako looked at Rei.  "WHAT?!?!"

            *          *          *

            Minako ran through the dress section of the store.  "Look at all

of them!  Oh, I just love getting new clothes!"  

            The others sat down to watch as she began to try dresses on.  As

she came out, they each gave their criticisms.  Except for Usagi.  Every

time Minako came out dressed in any color, 'You look ugly in that'...

however for some reason, every time Minako came out in a black dress, she

looked 'perfect'.  And each time she declared this Ami glanced at Rei, and

watched the red grow in her face.

            After trying on practically every dress in the store, and driving

the manager up the wall, Minako had somehow narrowed it down to two.

"Well, which do you like, the green or the blue?"

            Ami eyed both of the dresses Minako held, "Personally, the blue,

but then, almost everything I own is blue..."

            "Go for the green one!!  But then.. I do like green a whole

lot..."  Makoto smiled, "What do you think Rei?"  

            "Ah, well, I actually liked the green one too... what do you think

Usagi-chan?"  Ami watched Rei turn to Usagi who was seated in a chair

behind her.  "Usagi-chan?"

            "Black."  

            Ami cringed as she heard Rei growl, "Usagi!  Come on.  We're

looking at two dresses, green and blue, which one does Minako look better

in, try not to be so difficult!"

            "I'm not being difficult!  She looks ugly in those colors.  Black

would look much better on everyone, everything... all the time," Usagi

said in a huffy voice.

            "USAGI!" Rei yelled.

            "Rei, please we don't need to have a fight in the middle of the

store.  Look, I'll just get the green one, I liked it a little bit more

too-"

            "STOP," Rei yelled, "Stop!  I'm tired of this!!  Tsukino Usagi-

you went through a terrible tragedy, we know this- but you have to be

getting, we can't keep treating you-"

            "YOU ALL FEEL NO EMOTION DO YOU!!!  NONE OF YOU UNDERSTAND!!!"

Usagi screamed at them and fled the building.

            Makoto, Ami, and Minako looked at Rei.  Ami reached out to touch

Rei's arm, "Rei, I think you should-"

            "No."  Ami drew back at the chill in Rei's voice.  She saw a tear

escape her eye.  "No.  I'll be damned if I go apologize to that little

self-centered brat.  You all do what you want to."  Rei turned and briskly

walked off in the opposite direction Usagi had run in.

            "Um, will that be cash or charge?"  Minako, Makoto, and Ami gaped

at the manager. 

            *          *          *

            Rei was all out crying by the time she hit the street.  Damn

her!!  She began to jog, unnoticing everything she blurrily passed.  She

just wanted to get away, far away; from that girl... that horrible little

brat who had the gall to tell her that _SHE_ didn't understand... Well,

damn her, at least the man she's grieving for was in love with her.  

            When she looked up she discovered she was in the park.  She found

a tree and sat down facing away from all of the people she saw and sobbed.

For once in her life she let her emotions loose.  Ever since that fateful

day, when she had heard of Mamoru's fate, she had been strong, let Usagi

grieve, 'she's the one who should be, not me'.  Oh, damn me, for loving

him still in the first place!  And for acting like that to her!  She has

every right to do whatever she wants!  Damn me!  She tried to lower her

head into her hands but another sob made her entire body quake.  She

banged her head against the trunk of the tree and stared up into it's

branches.  Oh, Lord, why did he have to die?  "Damn the world!"  She

cried.

            *          *          *

            Usagi ran through the streets crying.  What am I doing?  She

turned a corner and found herself at one of the entrances to the park.

She ran to a bench and sat down, hugging herself.  What is wrong with me?

Why am I acting like this?  She ripped the black hairties off, pulled off

the earrings, kicked off her shoes and socks and threw them all away from

her.  What was I thinking, acting like this to my friends?  Did I

actually tell Minako she was ugly?  And only Rei had the sense to yell at

me!  

            She stood and slowly walked away from the bench.  She followed the

trail and thought about everything that was running through her mind.  She

reached a bridge and stared into the water.  She could almost make out

Mamoru's face.  "Mamo-chan, why is this all happening?  I'm so confused,

and I hurt inside still, and I'm acting awful to my friends...  I'm not me

anymore without you... I need you..."

            "Damn the world!"

            Usagi spun to look for the source of the cry.  It sounded like

Rei...  She saw a mop of dark hair behind a tree not too far off.  She

jogged quickly over to it and after hesitating a moment moved around to

the other side so that the girl sitting there could see her.

            Rei hiccuped and gasped, and then forced herself to her feet.  She

had been crying it looked like...  "GO AWAY FROM ME!!" she screamed and

tried to move away, but Usagi reached out and grabbed her arm.

            "Rei!  Rei, please... I- I'm sorry.  Please forgive me for yelling

and acting so bad this morning... I-"  she stopped as Rei looked at her.

She looked terrible.  Suddenly it occurred to Usagi that she had never

seen Rei crying.  Moreover, Rei would not be crying because of their

fight, she would normally be mad... but then why-

            Suddenly Rei hugged Usagi and sobbed.  "I'm sorry!!  Pl-Please

forgive me, I-I sh-shouldn't be," she stopped talking and simply cried.

Usagi returned the hug and held her, desperately trying to understand. Rei

suddenly began again, "Y-you are th-the only one with any right t-to

grieve, not m-me, but I-" she stopped again and breathed and continued to

cry.

            Oh my god, Usagi thought, what a self-centered brat I've been.

The whole time thinking they were unfeeling.  It didn't even occur to me

to think about Rei, oh, and I still knew she had a place for him in her

heart... gosh darn me...  And today I screamed it in her face... gosh darn

me!

            "Oh Rei, I'm so sorry... for everything.  You're wrong, you can

grieve just as much as I, please forgive me for saying all these horrible

things...  for a long time I have been thinking of only myself and I'm

sorry..."

            "I'm sorry, t-too... I mean, I know you still are grieving, it's

just that for some reason, I thought that if everything got back to

normal, the pain would go away, and-"

            "I know.  I wish it would go away too...   It seems that with this

pain, I keep changing, becoming a person I don't want to be...  I just

wish with all my being that none of this had ever happened."  they both

stood in semi-silence for a short while, the only sound being Rei's

sniffles.

            "I had so many plans too," Rei said as she pulled herself out of

Usagi's hug.  She began to wipe her nose and eyes and sat down in the

grass.

            Usagi sat down in the grass a little bit away from her.  "Plans?"

            Rei looked up at her smirking, "Yeah, of how I was gonna steal him

away from you."

            Usagi grinned and then brought on a display of unbelief, "Oh, yeah

right!  And exactly how were you going to do this?"

            "Well, for starters, I'd..."

            *          *          *

            "And then he would once again see-"

            "The utter error in his ways and fall in love with the beautiful,

elegant, wondrous Sailor Mars, I know, I know..."  Usagi laughed.  "Well,

let's put off the telling of 'How Rei's gonna get Mamoru to fall for her :

Episode 27' until later, huh?  We should probably go find our friends."

            "Sure, use the old 'Gotta go find our friends excuse', huh?  You

just can't admit that some of these might work..."  Rei stopped.  "Might

have worked..."

            Usagi felt a pang of pain in her heart.  "We both miss him, and no

one is here to judge who more than who.  But let's just remember that we

both are still hurting, K?"

            Rei smiled and nodded.  "Well, when we do find those friends of

ours, let's not tell them that, um, that I was, well."

            "Rei!  Wow, nice to see you in the park!  Hey, are you sorry you

yelled this morning?  Me too.  Friends? Friends."  Usagi smiled, "Crying?

Rei?  When?"

            Rei smiled, "Thanks, meatball brains.  But, we'd better go find

your shoes first, you'd have a time explaining to your mom why you need

some more.  'Oh I threw them away in the park' just doesn't sound

promising as an excuse."

            As the two turned, a scream ripped through the air.

            They spun to see a woman dragging a child behind her as she fled

from the park.  They looked at each other and then ran in the direction

the woman had come from.  Both skidded to a stop at the sight that met

them. 

            Usagi gave one of her classic "YEE-YIII!!"'s as Rei gaped.  A

humongous black cloud was growing and a youma was hovering beneath it.

Usagi turned to flee and stepped on a large tree root that jutted out of

the ground and began bouncing around in pain yelling.

            Rei shook her head Our fearless leader.  She quickly pulled her

communicator out.  "Ami, Minako, Mako!  Get to the park, NOW!!"  

            She turned to Usagi who was sitting on the ground moaning about

her foot, "Transform already!"  Then she turned to face the cloud as she

thrust her transformation pen into the air. "MARS POWER... MAKE-UP!!"

            *          *          *

            The DarkNite scanned the city.  Where am I ever going to find

these girls in all this mess?  I don't think this plan is going to work.

I just don't understand what the Queen is trying to do this time...

            "You there, what do you think you're doing, scaring the innocent

citizens of this city?  I stand for Love and Justice, and on behalf of the

planet Mars, I demand to know what you are doing!"

            The DarkNite turned and then stared in disbelief.  Bingo.  This

was going to be easier than he had thought.  He smiled and then said, "Are

there any more like you my dear?"

            "You bet, you youma, and we'll destroy you if you mean harm to

this city!"

            "I am no youma!" he snarled back, "I am a DarkNite, and I mean no

harm to this city, I mean harm to you!"  He threw a crystal at her.  She

hesitated for a moment and that was all he needed.  He activated it, it

sucked her within and then it shattered.  All right, then... now she said

there were more...

            *          *          *

            Usagi gaped in disbelief.  NO!!!  The nightmare suddenly had

replayed, only this youma had suddenly given it a horrible, twisted, new

ending.  REI!!!  It suddenly occurred to her that the others were coming

and that the same thing would happen to them if she didn't stop it.  Oh,

god no why is this happening again... Rei...

            She thrust her brooch into the air in her hands and called "MOON

CRYSTAL POWER... MAKE-UP!!!"

            Nothing happened.

            *          *          *

            *          *          *

            "It's around here somewhere..." she pushed away another small

shrub.  "There." she pointed.

            Ann jumped towards it and picked the tree up tenderly.  It was

still very young, just a sapling.  "Oh," she turned to Sage, "Thank-you!

If it had still been in the Fortress, it would've been killed!"          

            "And I would have lost Ann," Alan stood behind Ann, "Thank-you for

thinking ahead."

            "Uh-huh," Sage mumbled.

            "Oh, Sage, if only... It's not your fault, you couldn't have been

lugging around one of those crystals.  You can't blame yourself."

            "I don't- I mean,  even if I had brought one, which I couldn't

have, since they're all- were all in stasis,  I can't do a thing but stare

at it without a computer, they aren't magic things...they are simply

machines..."  she sighed and stood up walking a bit away from them, and

then turned back, tears in her eyes, "I feel so bad because right now, I

don't even care what happens to Mamoru."  She slammed her fist into a

tree.

            "Oh Signa... I built him... it took me so long... and-and he was a

friend...  shouldn't have left the Fortress wide open... Oh Signa..."

            *          *          *

            Leeota stumbled through the wreckage of what was once the Outpost

Fortress.  Every once in awhile she would come across a body.  It no

longer shocked her, she had steeled herself for it.  She simply picked up

the once person and carried them to the large burning funeral pyre she had

created.

            Such needless death... most of them innocent non-fighting

people... they should have attacked the other fortresses-

            She suddenly hear a moan.  She called out, "Hello, I'm here, talk

louder, so that I can find you."

            For a moment there was silence, and then she made out the location

of the voice as it weakly spoke, "What do you want me to say?"

            As Leeota pushed away debris and found herself face to face with

one of the other Pathfinders she smiled, "That was good enough."

            The other girl smiled weakly, "Just get me and my friends out of

here, quickly."

            "Your friends?"  Leeota suddenly discovered two children who were

clinging to the girl.

            "We tried to fight, but there was a shield around them, and the

bomb, so I grabbed the nearest two people and shielded them and myself

with my power, and that's the last thing I remember...  I think Kalea did

the same thing... she's around here somewhere.  We were the only two

Sailors Sage left here, if there had been more, we might have been able to

punch through the shield, but-"

            "Shh.  What's done is done, now here,"  Leeota had succeeded in

freeing the trio, "You go over there where that fire is.  Risa and a few

other survivors are over there.  She has a med kit, she'll patch you up

right good, all right?"

            The Pathfinder nodded, "Thanks, Leeota."  She turned and began

walking towards the campfire.

            Leeota sighed, Sage, half the people I've pulled out of here are

mad at you...

            She stood up and began calling for the other Pathfinder, "Kalea!

Kalea!"

            *          *          *

            Risa slapped a self-heal patch over a minor wound and then looked

at the little girl.  "All, done!  Why don't you go over there and play

with all of the other children, all right?"  The little one smiled and

then ran off.  It was lucky for her that she had been protected by a

Pathfinder, or she never would have survived.  

            She looked around at the other people sitting around.  She had

immediately had the Pathfinder teleport to one of the Fortresses.  All

military people had just left in the direction of the nearest Fortress.

The people who still sat here now were just that, people, and people with

no place to go.

            Risa sighed, Why is this happening, not but a short few hours

ago...  Suddenly she saw a figure off in the distance.  She stood,

preparing herself for whatever this person may call upon her to do, when

she suddenly recognized the person and ran towards them.

            "Tuxedo Mask!" she ran right up to him, and would have hugged him

had not she stopped herself.  "Where did you go?  You screamed and then

ran off so suddenly, and then you've been away so long and I... I..."

            He was staring off in the distance.  "Tuxedo Mask?"

            "We need to attack, we need to have a plan and to attack back

quickly."

            "Wha- but we are weak right now, we're cleaning up, we-"  As he

looked down at her, his eyes stopped her in mid-sentence.

            "How are we weak?  You still have armies, right?  You still have

Senshi, right?"

            "Well, one Senshi is still unaccounted for-"

            "One!!  You have seventy-six to your side then still.  Many

DarkNites were killed in that battle, right now there side is weak, and we

must attack while we can surprise them."

            "But- where are we going to attack?"  Risa asked slowly.

            "Wherever Hydrazite is."

            "The CASTLE!?!?"

            "Yes, then, the castle."

End Ep. 7


	8. Powers

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By : MakotoJade – makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode 8 : Powers

            Hydra stared at the so-called General that stood before her in

disbelief.  "What do you mean our forces are down by HALF!!!"

            "Well, my Queen, um, you see, the Sailor Senshi killed many of

them, and well, the fliers we sent in with the bomb were all killed-"

            "WHAT!!!  WHY?!?!" Hydrazite roared at him.

            "Well," he shrunk down a bit, "You wanted that Fortress totally

destroyed, so I had them use an anti-matter bomb-"

            "THAT WOULD MAKE NO DIFFERENCE!!!!"

            "Well, because you, um, gave us so little time to get it together,

there wasn't enough time to attach a timing device, so it went up on

impact-"

            Hydra's features became cold as she suddenly interrupted the

General once more with a whisper that made chills run through every person

watching the scene, "General, do you mean to say this was my fault?"

            The General paled as he fumbled for an answer, "My-my Queen, I-I

never-I--"

            What he never did was finish.  Quickly bringing up her right hand,

Hydrazite released a powerful blast of orange and yellow energy.  In an

instant it had incinerated the General in a grotesque fashion.

            Hydrazite stood and gazed around the room, "Does anyone else here

believe anything is MY FAULT?!?!"

            All the denizens of the room shook their heads no.  "Good."  She

turned to her right and looked into the crystal sphere that sat there,

"General, how are your efforts going in locating the members of my new

army?"

            An image appeared in the crystal, an image that was smiling,

"Excellent, my Queen, everything is proceeding quite nicely, so far we

have located at least one-hundred and thirty, and at least ninety percent

of these have been captured."

            Hydra smiled, "Excellent indeed.  Remember, I need but three

hundred, they should do the job.  I don't want to kill any more than that

either, when we're done with them.  Human bodies are so useless when

dead."

            The General spoke again, "My Queen, do I have permission to begin

placing all of these vermin into the dungeon beneath the castle?"

            Hydra thought for a moment, "No.  Put them into one of the farming

facilities.  Find one that is large enough and then report to me on which

one you chose."

            "Thank you, my Queen."  The General disappeared as the crystal

went dark.

            Hydra turned to the denizens of the room once more.  "We do not

have to worry for a time, the Pathfinders are undoubtedly very shaken by

their loss.  Humans are very weak like that.  They will once again be

caught off guard when we attack with our awesome new army... an army that

will be invulnerable... an army of their own kind..."

            As Hydra once more found herself daydreaming of ridding herself of

the Senshi vermin forever, the room was once more filled with the murmur

of her name as everything present hailed her.  Soon... soon...

            *          *          *

            Risa listened as Tuxedo Mask laid out his plan for Ann, Alan, and

all seventy-four of the Pathfinders present in the valley.  Leeota, Sage,

and Kalea were the only ones absent.  Kalea, one of the two Pathfinders

who had remained at the O.F. had been found, but was critically injured.

Leeota had escorted her and all of the civilians who had lived through the

destruction to the nearest fortress.  Risa glanced at her chrono, Leeota

should be teleporting back soon.  

            As for Sage, Risa had had her teleport to all of the fortresses to

begin to gather all of the Hex squadrons to come to this location, the

site of where they would leave to hopefully destroy the DarkNites once and

for all.  Several of the other Pathfinders had questioned her decision to

trust Sage still, and Risa angrily pointed out that if it had not been for

Sage, many of them would be dead in the first place.  Sage might have made

a mistake in leaving only two senshi, and she might have saved more lives

by leaving only two senshi, anyways that no longer mattered, all that did

was the upcoming battle, and all of the people knew Sage, and so she had

sent her.  All of this not trusting Sage business hurt Risa inside.

            But one thing was hurting her more, the way Mamoru was acting...

no not Mamoru, but Tuxedo Mask.  He had not changed out of his Tuxedo Mask

form in all of the time that he had been back.  She recalled everything

that had transpired on the hill as they had watched the Outpost Fortress

explode.  Him then stumbling down the hill and screaming her name into the

air... she felt so guilty.  Guilt!!  That is what hurts so, so much...

Has to be...  Guilt that she had drug him into this battle, without his

consent, to this world, and then had persuaded him to stay...  Now he

could never go back... not only to his love, but to his entire LIFE!!!

Risa closed her eyes as she realized that she had successfully ended his

life.

            And he was acting now, just as if he WAS dead.  Emotionless... no

not quite emotionless, but filled with a coldness that he hadn't shown

before.  The person whom she knew as Mamoru, as Prince Endymion she no

longer saw.  What had happened to him in that time he had been gone? 

            "Then, two of you will have to teleport into the main room,"

Tuxedo Mask indicated a room on the floor plan he had pulled from the data

on Sage's datapad.  Not only did they acquire the dark sider's technology

when they took over their fortresses, but they also acquired information.

The floor plans of every fortress and the castle were one of the finds

they had uncovered.  "It will be awhile before we can get to the two who

go in, but if everything goes to plan, we will get there eventually..."

He went on and Risa decided she had best listen once more to his plan

before she was facing off against the DarkNites once more.

            *          *          *

            Sage, Leeota, and Risa sat on the side of a small hill as Tuxedo

Mask explained to all of the Hex army leaders what part they and their

armies would play in the attack.  Sage saw Leeota yawn, and yawned

herself.  The suns had long since disappeared and it was getting late.

Most of the Pathfinders and the soldiers slept soundly in the valley

behind them.  Sage looked at them and stood, "I think I'm gonna head down

there and sleep some so that I'm ready for tomorrow, you two coming?"

            Leeota stood, "I will, I'm exhausted, haven't walked as far as I

did today in a long time, teleporting is so much easier."  She yawned

again.

            Risa looked up at them, "I'll be there in a little while, but not

just yet, you guys go on."

            Sage smiled, "See you in the morning, then." She and Leeota walked

off.

            *          *          *

            Risa watched as the Hex leaders left after Tuxedo Mask dismissed

them.  Then she watched him walk a ways off into the darkness.  After more

than a moment's hesitation she slowly stood and followed him.

            *          *          *

            Tuxedo Mask walked away from the light and the quiet noise of the

camp where all of the Pathfinders and soldiers were.  He wandered a bit

and then fell to his knees.  He put his head in his hands.  Why... why do

I keep helping them?  My life is gone... Usagi... I'll never see her

again... ever... and it's all their fault!  Them and their damned fight!

            "Tuxedo Mask?"  He spun at the voice.  Risa stood not far away

from him.

            "Risa.. what... ?"

            "I... I'm sorry... Sorry about everything... I know nothing that I

could ever do or say could make up for the fact that I've most

successfully destroyed your life, but- I...  I'm sorry." he could hear

sadness in her voice and figured that if they were in more but minimal

light he would be able to see tears in her eyes.  But... they need my

help... I can't not help... have to...

            "Risa... it... it's okay-"

            Risa began in a rapid, emotion wrought voice, "How can you say

that, of course it's not okay.  You... what I've done-"

            "Please, let's not think about it... I don't want to-"

            "But I feel so awful, I mean... you'll never...  I feel so

awful... and so sad... I can't-,"  she stopped, her voice wavering in her

final words.

            He stood and walked over to her and put his arms around her.  She

sobbed, "I'm sorry."  He continued to hold her as she cried... for him. 

            She needs my help... they all do, that's why they brought me here

in the first place.  I have to help them.  "Please don't cry for me, I

have enough for the both of us, actually." 

            She looked up at him, "When?"

            "When I took off back there, after seeing the explosion."  He

looked off into the distant darkness, "I ran for a time and then found

myself totally alone in a valley.  After a time I found myself again and

decided that I needed to come back, that we needed to attack and destroy

this evil so that your world could be free again."

            "Found yourself?" Risa asked.

            "I was lost for a little bit... lost within myself.  It was such

an abrupt ending to everything.  We were celebrating and then Sage was

screaming and everything was over... forever."  He heard Risa make a sad

sound and he suddenly realized what he had said, "But, I don't want to

think about anything else now except attacking that castle and freeing the

people of this world."

            "Are you sure?" she asked.

            "Yes," he looked down at her, "We should probably sleep now."

            She nodded.  He released her and they started to walk back to

camp.  "Tuxedo Mask?"

            He looked at her, "Yeah?"

            "Why haven't you transformed out of that form since you got back?"

she looked at him with concern.

            He stopped walking, "I'm afraid I won't be able to transform

back."

            "WHAT!" she semi-yelled.

            "Shh... please!"  He watched Risa clap a hand over her mouth.  He

told her about his transformation hurting during the battle, and then how

he had been unable to fly, and finally about what had happened to him

while he was alone, "I tried to transform into my armor, to become myself

as Prince Endymion, and I couldn't.  As I tried, all I felt was pain and

then nothing happened.  And then I tried once more to fly, and I couldn't.

I have a feeling that I could de-transform into Mamoru, but then I

wouldn't be able to be Tuxedo Mask again."

            "Why?  What's wrong?"

            "I have a feeling it has to do with being so far from Usagi."

            Risa's mouth hung open, "What?  The Princess... but why-"

            "The only reason I became Tuxedo Mask in the first place was to

protect her, and I no longer need to be Prince Endymion without her...  my

powers have always been based on her... and now I am no longer near her or

in any place where I could protect her... and my power is leaving me."

            Risa covered her mouth as her eyes once again filled with tears,

"Now your powers, too..."

            "Risa, please..."  She nodded and wiped her eyes. 

            "I know... I know... you don't want to think about it... only the

fight, I can't though."

            He sighed, "Neither can I really, but I keep trying.   Please

try."

            She nodded once more, "Yes, I will."

            They turned and once more walked toward where the others slept.

As they parted, Risa grabbed his hand, "I thank you, and this world thanks

you, for doing what you are...  Thank you."  she squeezed his hand and

then ran off to where the other Pathfinders lay.  

            He watched her go, and then turned to walk to where he saw Ann and

Alan sitting staring into a fire.  That's why I'm helping them, because

they truly need help...

            Ann smiled at him as he sat down.  "Hey, you okay?"

            "No, not really, but I don't want to talk about it, so yeah, I'm

okay."  

            Alan looked at him, "Listen, Mamoru, not one of us could blame you

if you didn't feel like fighting anymore..." he looked at Ann, "I know I

wouldn't feel like fighting at all."

            "Ah, but I do feel like fighting, simply because they need my

help, and I can help.  I could never walk away from someone who needed

help."

            Alan smiled at him, "You're a good man Mamoru."

            Tuxedo Mask smiled slightly and then yawned, "Well, I being the

human I am need a little sleep now, so if you don't mind, I'll just lay

down right here and doze off..." he stretched out on the ground and put

one of his hands beneath his head.

            Ann smiled, leaned over him, and kissed him on the cheek, "Go for

it... See you in the morning Mamo-chan."

            Even as she did it, he was halfway asleep and her final word

echoed in his mind, slowly transforming itself into Usagi's voice,

"Mamo-chan... Mamo-chan..."

            *          *          *

            *          *          *

            No!!  This can't be happening!!  What's wrong???  Usagi brought

her brooch down from the place in the air she had been holding it in and

stared at it.  Then once again she thrust it above her and shouted, "MOON

CRYSTAL POWER... MAKE-UP!!!"  And once again nothing happened.  NO!!!

Have I lost my powers?  Not now!!!  I can't have

            "Usagi!!  What's going on?  Why haven't you transformed?"  

            Usagi turned to the source of the voice, "Luna?"

            "Usagi!!  What is GOING ON!?!" 

            Usagi fell to her knees before the cat, "Oh, Luna, please don't

yell, I can't transform-"

            "WHAT!  Why?"

            Usagi shook her head as tears formed in her eyes, "I tried and

nothing happened... oh but what does it matter, Rei's gone now, too..."

            "WHAT!!!"  Usagi saw that this whole ordeal was overly shocking

Luna.  "She's GONE??!"

            Usagi nodded. "Just like Mamoru," she whispered, "I can't do this

Luna, I can't do this anymore... Rei was here a second ago... a second

ago... and now she's gone!"

            "Oh Usagi..."

            "I have no hope left Luna, I can't be Sailor Moon without hope...

and what's left anymore... nothing.."

            "BUBBLE SPRAY!!!"

            Usagi heard Mercury's attack and spun around to see a wave of

bubbles shoot out at the youma.  Mercury... Ami... and Makoto and

Minako...  for them...

            "Luna, go warn the others not to go near that youma!  I'll be

there in a second."  With a strength and a sense of duty, obligation, and

mostly love for her friends, Tsukino Usagi thrust a pink brooch into the

air and screamed...

            "MOON CRYSTAL POWER... MAKE UP!!!"

            Color and light swelled around her as her clothes disappeared.

Her body was pure energy for a moment.  And then she and her clothes

reformed, a metal tiara formed on her forehead, and she opened her eyes.

Sailor Moon.

            But she before she could do anything she heard Venus scream.

"AMI!!"

            NO!! Sailor Moon ran over to where she had heard the scream.

Jupiter and Venus stood staring in shock at the youma.  She looked at

Luna.

            "I'm sorry, Sailor Moon, I-I... she's gone..." Luna looked down,

"Ami..."  

            Sailor Moon quickly turned to the youma and screamed at it in

rage, "You YOUMA!!  I swear by the Moon that in several moments you will

wish you had never left the slimy hole you crawled out of!!"  And with

that her scepter was out, she chanted the required words and the youma was

gone.  The thing did not even to have a second to think in.

            Sailor Moon turned back to Venus and Jupiter.  Tears were in

Venus's eyes... "Ami.."

            Sailor Moon looked at her boots and then, with tears streaming

from her own eyes, looked at the two, "Rei... is gone, too."

            "No."  Jupiter whispered in a haunted tone as Venus fell to her

knees crying.

            Sailor Moon looked at Jupiter, "Was... was it a crystal... like

Mamoru..."

            Jupiter nodded.

            "Rei, too."  Sailor Moon whispered.

            "GOD NO!!!  WHY?!?!?"  Venus cried into the air.

            We are the ones who are supposed to win!

End Ep. Eight


	9. Gathering and Attack

(Version 1.2)

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By : MakotoJade – makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode 9 : Gathering and Attack

            Anyone get the number of that bus?  

            The first thing Rei realized was that she had a tremendous

headache... then she realized that meant she was alive... and she

certainly hadn't thought she would be.  The youma had trapped her in a

crystal, just like Mamoru, it had shattered, and then nothing-

            Wait... if I'm still alive that might mean-

            "MAMORU!?!"  Rei sat up with a start and flicked open her eyes.

            Her head reeled and the headache pounded in her skull, but she

forced it off as she looked around her.  She was in a field of some-sort.

A ways ahead of her was a building.  Fences extended from it on either

side, and moved off, surrounding the field in a circular fashion.  She

judged from the looks of it she was in about the center of the field.  Her

eyes followed the fence, and she turned to look behind her-- and gasped.

            At least a hundred girls cowered in the back part of the field,

some of them in sailor fuku, most in other kinds of clothes.

            "Hello?"  she asked.  Suddenly those in fuku sprang up and ran to

crowd around her.

            "You!  You speak the tongue!!" one shouted.

            "Japanese?" she asked, but none of them heard her... they were all

speaking at once.

            "Are you a Senshi, too? ... Why are you here? ... What happened to

us? ... What about those crystals? ... And the youma-"

            Rei suddenly stood.  They stopped and stepped a bit away from her.

She looked at their sailor fuku... they were all identical... but not one of

them looked like hers...

            She thrust her hand into the air, "MARS POWER!!!"

            In another 16 seconds Sailor Mars stood before them... they who

now gaped at her...

            "YOU!!! ... She-she has the fuku of an Earth System Senshi...  And

it's red ...  Why, she can't be real!! ...  Ghost? ... Crazy!! ... Can't

be ... Thought they died!! ... you, and the others and the Princess ..

Felt you die..."

            Suddenly two of them hit their knees and the rest followed suit,

bowing down before her.

            Mars stared at them, "WHAT is going ON!?!?"

            One looked up, "You are Sailor Mars, are you not?"

            "Well, yes... but, who are all of you?"

            They looked at her, confused.  One of them spoke up, "We're

Senshi..."

            Mars sighed, "Well, obviously... but from where?"

            One of the other girls, one not in a fuku, suddenly appeared at

Mars' elbow, "Su say na kurotu?  Yo me... ni kodarte... conet?"

            Mars looked from her to the others, "What did she say?"

            One of the others shook their heads, "Don't know... she's speaking

in whatever dialect her home speaks in."

            "How come all of you speak Japanese?  Are you all from Japan?"

            Another Senshi stared at her, "Japanese?  We're speaking in

galactic basic..."

            "JAPANESE is Galactic Basic?!?"

            "If they call it Japanese where you are from, then yes, it is.  It

is the language common to all those who lived during the time of the

Silver Millennium."

            Mars was as confused as the non-Senshi girl standing beside her,

"Okay-- I have no idea what's going on, but I need to know one thing

first.  Where am I?"

            "You don't know?"

            Mars sighed, "No, I do not."

            "Dang!  Well, neither do we, we were hoping you did."

            Suddenly there was a noise behind her and Mars spun to see Ami's

body fall to hit the ground.  "AMI!!!" she screamed as she ran towards

her.

            She knelt down next to her friend and checked for vital signs.

Ami seemed to be okay, just a little bruised.

            Another Senshi was leaning over her shoulder, "Is that who I think

it is?  Only one Senshi had blue hair like that!"

            Sailor Mars looked up at the girl, "She's Sailor Mercury-"

            "I KNEW IT!!  I knew you all didn't die!!  Does this mean the

Princess is still alive, too?!?"

            "Princess Serenity?  Yes, she's alive-"

            "Then the queen might have summoned us!"

            Another Senshi hit the other's arm, "With YOUMA?!?  Get real!"

            Mars heard a groan and looked down to see Ami opening her eyes.

"Rei?" she asked in a rather raspy voice.

            "Yeah, it's me, and I'm glad you're here, Ami.  Maybe you can help

me figure this out..."

            *          *          *

            Risa looked through the seers carefully and then handed them to

Tuxedo Mask.  He took them and stared off at the castle.  "Much better

than my binoculars..."

            "What was that?" she asked.

            He shook his head, "Nothing...  Are Sage and Leeota sure they're

ready, and are you certain you can give them the signal when it's their

time to go?"

            She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and smiled,

"Yes and Yes.  Everything is set."

            He nodded, "Alright then, let's do this."  He noticed her bow her

head for a moment.  "Risa?"

            She looked up, and then off at the castle.  "Many people will die

today.  Just a quick thought, a quick prayer..."

            He nodded and then looked back off at the castle.  She's right...

battle always ends in destruction, doesn't it?  I've seen too much of

it...  He shook his head, clearing his thoughts, and then picked up the

comm unit next to him. "Double A this is Mask.  Ann, Alan?  Do you see

everything clearly on your side?  Things check out?"

            In a moment Alan's voice crackled in the comm, "Yep, ready to go

on this side, just start givin' the signals!  Double A out!"

            Tuxedo Mask sighed, and looked at Risa as he started to give the

command, "Mask to all units... deploy on my mark... Hex One... away.  Hex

Two... away.  Hex Three..."

            *          *          *

            Hex Four leader was a strict man.  Never let his soldiers see his

emotions.  He was glad of this, because they might have wanted to know

what he felt at the moment.  And what he felt was cold fear ripping him

apart, fear not for him, but for all of the men and women who would die

today... for indeed... many of them would be dying.

            He gazed around at them, memorizing their faces, hoping maybe

there would be people to remember them... and hoping that that they would

be remembered for bringing the downfall of the evil on this world.

            "Mask to all units..."  His comm crackled, he recognized the voice

as the one named Tuxedo Mask.  The young man began to deploy the different

squadrons... and then- "Hex Four... away."

            Hex Four leader turned to his team, "This is it... go... NOW!!"

            *          *          *

            Hydra absentmindedly played with the pendant on her neck...

Nephlite... you loved causing destruction... I wish you could see the

havoc I've created here... why it's so lovely!  I-

            "My Queen!!"  Hydra turned at the call... a General, gasping at

the door to her chambers.

            Her eyes flashed as an orange glow began about her fist, "How dare

you interrupt me!!"

            "Bu-But My Queen!!  The humans-"

            "WHAT!?!?  What about the humans?"

            "Th-They're attacking My Queen!!!"

            Hydrazite was so shocked for a second she gaped at the General.

Then she fled to her window.  Outside human vermin swarmed over the castle

borders.

            She spun to the General, her eyes aflame, "THE FOOLS!!  THEY

ATTACK!!!"

            "M-My Que-"

            Hydra sent a brilliant, flaming wave of energy through him and

then stormed into the hall screaming.

            "GENERALS!!!  WHAT IN BERYL'S NAME IS GOING ON!?!?  GET THE

DARKNITES OUTSIDE!!!!!!!"

            Countless denizens of the castle began scrambling about, fleeing

outside to attack.

            In a rage she ran to follow them, outside, DAMMIT IF I WON'T PICK

OFF ALL OF THE VERMIN MYSELF!!

            *          *          *

            Tuxedo Mask watched as all of the Hex Squadrons came down on all

sides of the castle.  He was waiting for his own mental signal to order

the Senshi to attack.  It was gruesome... but he had to wait...

            Then he saw one of the Soldiers die... then another.  Damnit...

what a signal...

            He looked at Risa, "The soldiers are dying, it is time for your

intervention... send in the Senshi, and remember to listen for my signal."

            Risa nodded, closed her eyes for a moment... and then vanished in

a wash of red.

            He picked up the comm, "Double A this is Mask, Senshi are in, wait

for my signal if you're needed.  Mask out."

            Tuxedo Mask watched as his plan unfolded before his eyes.  All of

the DarkNites were facing outward, trying to kill the soldiers coming in.

They hadn't counted on an attack from behind them...

            He only saw a handful of flashes from his angle, but abruptly the

battle shifted.  DarkNites began falling, as the Senshi attacked them.

They were either killed directly by the attack, or driven into the mass of

soldiers where they were killed.  

            Tuxedo Mask swore... Why does the death have to continue though?

he thought as one after another, soldiers fell- when all of the sudden...

a wave of pain and sheer agony ripped through him.

            He held his head and screamed, it was so painful... what had

happened?

            *          *          *

            Risa almost lost her concentration when the wave of anguish, of

death in agony, reached her... Sweet Heavens... not a Pathfinder!!!  But

she knew it had to be true, one of her friends was dead.  A Senshi had

fallen.  Tears welled up in her eyes, why did this have to happen...  Her

sadness turned to anger as she continued to attack, waiting, desperately,

for Tuxedo Mask's signal so that the battle would be almost over...

            Then maybe they would finally be free...

            *          *          *

            Tuxedo Mask watched the battle again, the feeling of pain still

lingering in his mind, but he knew he had to keep watching...

            Looks as if their numbers are dwindling enough... in a second I

can-

            Suddenly a wave of energy swept down on one side of the castle,

orange flames ripping through several soldiers...

            "NOO!!" Tuxedo Mask yelled as he stood up suddenly.  But the

energy took no heed as it swept another swath of death through the masses

of soldiers.  It even killed a few of the DarkNites in the process.

DAMN!!  It's Hydrazite!!!  It has to be!!

            Hurriedly he "yelled" as loud as he could in his mind, directly at

Risa. NOW!!!  NOW!!  SWITCH ATTACKS NOW AND GET SAGE AND LEEOTA IN THERE

FAST!!

            He grabbed the comm unit and screamed into it, "ALAN!! ANN!!  GET

OUT THERE AND HELP THEM!!!  THE QUEEN HERSELF IS ATTACKING!!"

            "QUICK!!"

            *          *          *

            In the back of her mind Risa suddenly heard a voice... and she

knew who's voice it was.  She reached out with her own thoughts and

screamed at Sage and Leeota, telling them to get inside.

            Then she mind-called all of the other senshi.  "Switch attack!!

Now!!"  

            Then she looked for a spot... and teleported... and was then

facing the castle, on the side of the soldiers, driving back the

DarkNites.

            *          *          *

            Sage and Leeota sat halfway down a hill, just a ways beyond the

castle.  "Risa just asked if we were ready," said Sage.

            Leeota looked at her, "So we'll be going in any minute now, eh?"

            The other Pathfinder nodded, then looked at her friend, "Are we

ready?"

            "I am... are you?"

            Sage looked away, and off into the distance,     "Yeah, it's just

that, well, I've never been this nervous going into an attack before..."

she trailed off.

            Leeota spoke after a moment, "Well, you've always had a hand in

planning the attacks before.  Now you're just following orders."

            Sage put her palms on the ground behind her and then leaned back

to stare up into the sky, "Yeah, but this is a good plan.   I don't think

it's really that at all... for the first time in my life, I'm afraid.

Afraid of getting fried.  What if we get in there and my judgment fails

me, and I do something superbly dumb, huh?  What if-"

            "Oh Sage stop it!!  You're judgment is fine!"  Sage moved as if

she was going to say something, but Leeota continued too quickly for her

to even get a syllable out, "Truly, Sage... If any of the other

Pathfinders had stayed to protect the O.F., would they have lived?  No.

You fired at them yourself.  There was a force field around them, and even

if it could have been taken out, they came in so fast...  Sage...

What happened happened, and there is nothing you can do to change it, and

you did nothing wrong at all, in fact, had those Senshi remained, they

most likely would have died-"

            As she said the word... a spasm of pain and agony took over them.

Sage's arms failed her, and she fell back;  Leeota's face quickly lowered

into her hands as they both cried out... so much pain...

            "A Pathfinder... a Pathfinder is dead."  Leeota sobbed the

obvious.

            Sage pushed herself back up, and blurily looked at Leeota,

"WHY?!?  Why does it have to happen?" 

            Leeota shook her head as they both tried to push it away... they

still had a job to do.

            They sat in silence for a little bit... and then Risa's mental

scream put them both on their feet.

            Sage looked at Leeota, "Time to go."  The blonde nodded.  "Good

Journey..."

            Leeota smiled back at her, "Good Journey."

            They were gone in a flash of pink and green.

            *          *          *          

            Tuxedo Mask watched as the energy claimed more and more lives.

Then he saw the shimmering which meant Senshi were teleporting to the new

attack places.  As soon as Leeota and Sage bring the thing down, it'll

all be over...  But the orange wave kept taking away life after life...

            He suddenly charged down the hill, Shit, if they can give their

lives, so can I... I might not be able to do much more then throw a few

roses here and there, but I can't just watch this!!

            He stormed into the battle.

            *          *          *

            *          *          *

            The large drainage pipe underneath the main highway of town was a

popular attraction for little children.  They called it their clubhouse...

played in it, hiding for hours from their parents or baby-sitters, just

having fun.  If you listened carefully, you could hear them laughing as

you passed over.

            But, had one been listening tonight, the sound wasn't as joyous...

In fact, sobs echoed in the night.  It sounded as if someone had just lost

a part of their soul... a part of themselves...

            Jupiter stood at one of the open ends of the pipe, right hand

resting on a metal rung, supporting her, and stared off into the night.

Stars sparkled in the sky; the city had begun to shut down, lights fading

off; there was the gentle buzzing of the insects; an occasional car passed

over, though none had in the past few minutes...  She sighed, Everything

seems so normal, peaceful... God!!  Why is this happening... the world

is turning upside down!!  

            She had moved her two friends here.  It had taken awhile, both

were distraught... and gushing like waterfalls.  It hadn't occurred to her

to go anywhere else, this seemed the perfect place. 

            She turned now, and looked in at her two friends.  Venus sat with

her head in her hands, her blonde hair tumbling all about her, it and her

hands covering her face... Sailor Moon sat against the side of the pipe,

her knees pulled against her chest, chin on her knees, eyes glassy staring

a the other side of the pipe.  Luna had gone out looking for Artemis long

ago... and Jupiter had no idea where she was... 

            She turned back around and stared off into the night.  This can't

be happening, IT CAN'T!!  We always win!  We save the world, we live, go

on, and do it again... we DON'T die!!

            A sudden light flashed through the sky.  She watched as it

descended towards Earth... Shooting star... God!!  Why?  If they had

to die, at least they should have been fighting for SOMETHING!  Winning a

battle... ANYTHING!!

            She heard a bending and snapping noise to her right and looked to

discover that she'd twisted the metal rung from the wall.  She held it in

her hands, turning it.  She fought the tears welling up in her eyes with

all her might.

            Suddenly a hand rested on her shoulder and she spun... to discover

Sailor Moon standing at her shoulder.  The girl still had tears in her

eyes, and running down her face.  Jupiter quickly looked away to hide her

own eyes.  "What?"

            "It's so calm, doesn't feel like the right world, does it?"  

            Jupiter was surprised by how calm Sailor Moon's voice was.  She

answered the blonde, "No."

            Both stood in silence for a long moment.  Finally Sailor Moon

spoke, "Do you think they'll be back?  Do you think they are going to kill

the rest  of us?"

            Jupiter stared off into the distance, "Who knows... I mean who ARE

"they"?  We have no idea what's going on, who, when, where, why, how...

DAMN!!!"  She suddenly lost the battle, and the tears freely came down

her face.  Her voice quavered as she tried to keep talking, "Shit... I

mean they could have told us something... anything... damned angles of

death popping out of the sky and killing people for no reason

whatsoever..."

            Sailor Moon was suddenly standing in front of her, and then was

hugging her.  For a moment, she wouldn't let herself give in... Damnit!

What does it matter....  and then she was sobbing into her shoulder.

            After a moment, Venus joined them and the three stood, hugging

each other... thinking about what they had lost.

            Jupiter looked over Venus' shoulder and off into the night.

Another light flashed through the sky... but closer... near the ground...

Almost looks like the same shooting star... wait a minute... it can't

be... what in blazes?!?!??

            She pushed her friends away from her and looked out... Suddenly

she could tell it was coming in fast... and directly at... "US!!!"  she

shouted her completed thought aloud.

            She turned and pushed her friends towards the other end of the

pipe.

            "RUN!!!!" 

            They dove out the other end as the thing streaked through the

tunnel.  Immediately Jupiter was on her feet, Venus was up in the next

second, Sailor Moon on the third.  

            The thing suddenly stopped and they saw it's true form.  A youma

stared at them... several crystals floating beside it.

            Before Jupiter could summon a wave of green thunder, a Crescent

Beam suddenly ripped through the air- but the thing dodged.  It spoke at

them, in a mocking, whining voice.  "I've been warned of you... I won't be

defeated so easily... can't say the same for you, though."  A crystal

suddenly lurched out towards Venus.

            Everything went into slow motion, Jupiter seemed unable to move as

she tried to blast at the crystal, her hands wouldn't point in the proper

direction fast enough... and then Venus' body stretched awkwardly and was

pulled into the crystal.  Then the crystal shattered.

            Her hands finally blasted green energy... but through an empty

expanse of air.  She turned again to face the youma, but the thing was

throwing a crystal towards Sailor Moon.

            Jupiter tried to move again... but it was all happening so fast,

she was still in slow motion...

            Just before Sailor Moon disappeared into the crystal, their eyes

locked.  Her friend seemed so calm, peaceful, even internally.  The other

girl simply smiled at her, and was gone... the crystal shattering after

her.

            Normal time seemed to resume as Jupiter's outcry ripped through

the air.  She suddenly summoned all of the energy she could and released

it in the direction of the youma.

            But once again, the energy was wasted.  The thing had moved, and

she could hear it laughing behind her.

            She turned to face it, and was met with the sight of a beautiful

crystal spinning not one foot from her...

            And suddenly she was within it, staring out, the world distorted

at odd angles.  The world...  She stared at it, lovingly, and all dark

emotions left her soul, I tried my hardest.. I did... I hope it lives on

without me... without us...

            Suddenly, blackness.

End Ep. Nine.

(Version 1.2)


	10. Discoveries

(Version 1.2)

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By : MakotoJade - makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode 10 : Discoveries

            Mercury let her hand holding her computer fall to her knee with a

sigh.

            Mars looked up at her, "Well?  Where are we?  Give me the bad

news."

            "Well, if I told you the distance in feet, the number would be

astronomical, too big for comprehension; and speaking of astronomical, I

could tell you the distance in AU's but I don't think you-"

            "AMI!!  In Japanese if you don't mind..."

            Mercury looked up and sighed, "On the other side of the galaxy."

            Mars groaned and rolled over onto her back to stare up at the

stars again.  No wonder I don't recognize any constellations... they're

all backwards or distorted from this angle.  "Well, I guess I couldn't

have hoped we'd be on Earth, not with these people, and not with this kind

of plant life..."  She gazed around at the purple grass which surrounded

her.  The green flowers swayed in a slight breeze.  "I've never seen

anything like this... anyplace like this.  I guess I already knew we

weren't on Earth..."  

            She looked back at Mercury, "Have any of your scans located

Mamoru?"

            Her friend's head shook in the negative, "No, but then my range

isn't that great in the first place.  He'd have to be within a five mile

radius and so far... he's not."

            Mars sighed and looked back up into the sky.

            The rest of the girls still hovered around near the side of the

enclosure.  Many slept, many did not; but all seemed confused and

unsettled.

            I don't blame them, she thought, I'm pretty confused and

unsettled myself.

            *          *          *

            Sage sprinted down the corridor and Leeota groaned as she strained

to keep up with her, "Is it a law that seventeen year-olds run so fast?"

She paused to suck in another breath, "Do I run faster when I turn sixteen

or do I have to wait until I'm seventeen, too -- CAN WE PLEASE SLOW DOWN!!"

            Sage glanced over her shoulder, "Shush!!  Are you trying to wake

the dead?  Wanna just tell the DarkNites we're here?  And you know we have

to get this done fast!!"

            Leeota sighed, "I know, I know... Complaining just keeps the mind 

on it's job... no matter how unpleasant that job is.  Why didn't we just

teleport in, drop this thing, and jump out, huh?  And why do I have to

carry it!"  She hefted the detonator under her arm again, "It's heavy!"

            Sage flashed a grin back at her and turned a corner, chuckling as

Leeota had to scramble to turn after, "Well, to answer the first question, 

two reasons.  One, this way, no DarkNites are waiting for us and we can 

get to the center of the castle somewhat safely, and two, it's gonna take 

me more than two minutes at least to take off all the protections so 

that it will blow up... which ties in to reason one... we could have just 

jumped in and dropped it, but not with a powerful enough detonator to 

destroy everything.

            "Oh, and as for your second question... Age has benefits."  She

laughed as Leeota growled behind her.

            They continued to run...

            *          *          *

            The DarkNite gaped at the rose sticking out of her chest and then

blaster fire struck her down.      Tuxedo Mask then hefted the blaster 

and turned once more in the direction of the orange blasts which could 

only be coming from Hydrazite.

            He had desperately been trying to move towards her for some time

now, but for some reason the DarkNites were attracted to him like fish 

to water, bees to nectar, him to his Usagi... and they wouldn't leave 

him alone.

            Another leapt out at him and he yelled at it in annoyance as he

struck out with a rose.

            *          *          *

            Mars woke later only to find Mercury still fiddling with her

computer.  She yawned and sat up.  Her friend looked up absently and 

smiled.

            "Ami, why don't you get some sleep?  Nothing's going to happen

anytime soon."

            "On the contrary, things are continually happening around here."

            Mars looked at her, confused.  "What do you mean?"

            "Well," said Mercury as she stood up, "the simple fact that girls

keep falling from the sky."

            As she said it, Mars looked over at the group of girls.  "There

are a few more now then when we got here, huh?"

            "Thirty-three more."

            "Thirty-three!!!" Mars cried.  "What is going on?!?!"

            Mercury looked back down at her computer, "That's what I'm trying

to find out."  Her hands began to fly across the keys.

            Mars moved to look over the other Senshi's shoulder.  "What are

you doing?"

            "Looking for an old scanning program of mine."

            "Scanning?"

            Mercury nodded, "Yes.  When there were just four of us scouts, 

and Luna told us that there would be a fifth scout joining us soon, I 

decided that it might be nice to find her, before she had to find us.  

So I started working on a program that could scan people to see if they 

were Senshi."

            "But... but how would a computer be able to tell who was a Senshi?

And why didn't you ever finish the program?"

            "Well, because Minako showed up, and I never needed it.  But the

computer would be able to tell Senshi from normal people based on a few 

of my own theories.  I believe that because we are Senshi, we have a 

different type of aura surrounding us; more powerful and more potent 

than say your typical person walking down the street."  She tapped on a 

few more keys, frowned, and continued, "Now, computers can see heat 

auras.  In my theory, our 'auras of power' should affect that aura 

around us as well."

            Mars shook her head.  "I know about auras, but I just don't see

how your computer could see them.  If I had fire, I could probably 

meditate long enough to see what you're--"

            "That's it!!"  Mercury jumped up.

            "That's what?"

            "I found the program... and it's almost completed... when did I...

oh yes!!  That one day after my Calculus exam..."  she broke off and 

began to type even faster.

            Mars stood up and looked at the screen for a second as numbers

flew by.  Then she sighed, and decided to go over to the group of girls 

and try to talk to them again... when a thought occurred to her, and 

she turned to Mercury.

            "Why do you need it?"

            The other Senshi looked up at her, "Hm?"

            "Why do you need it?"

            "Need what?"

            Mars sighed, "The program?"

            "Oh... because I think some of these girls are Senshi."

            "Well, of course they are," Mars pointed off at them, "Look at

their outfits-"

            Mercury shook her head, "No, not just the ones in sailor fuku... more 

of them than that."

            "Really?"

            "Yes."

            Mars frowned, "Then why haven't they transformed?"

            Mercury looked up at her, "Because like us a little while ago, 

they do not know they are Senshi, they were snatched from their planets 

before they found out.  If danger never threatened their planet, they 

might never have found out."

            Mars looked off at the girls, "Good Lord... if that's true...

this must be scaring some of them out of their minds."

            Mercury nodded absently and then smiled, "There... it's working--"

She stopped, and had a look of mixed shock and horror on her face.

            Mars ran over to her, "What?  What is it?"

            "All of them."

            "All of them what?  Mercury, come on, tell me!"

            "All of them are Senshi."

            Mars gulped, "Well then... let's get to work."

            *          *          *

            Ann felt her lip and pulled her hand away only to gaze at blood 

On her hand. Damn!  I'm getting beaten up worse then I have in a long 

time and I'm not even supposed to be fighting!!  

            She blasted power angrily at another of the DarkNites.  We've

just got to drive them back into the castle to get caught by the blast.  

            She shot at another DarkNite and then turned.  "Alan?" She turned

to where she thought her lover was and was met with a sight from her 

nightmares as she saw him bodily thrown across the field to land in a 

heap not far away.

            "AAALLLLAAANNNNN!!!!"  She screamed in pain and rage as she dove

at the youma and drove two charges of energy straight through it.

            Hurriedly, as the rage quickly subsided, she ran to where he was.

Carefully she moved him on to his back, all the while screaming his 

name at him.  He wasn't moving. 

            She called him twice more before the blast of power hit her in 

the back and sent her flying across Alan.

            Blackness stole her away...

            *          *          *

            Sage stumbled a little as the part of her mind that was connected

to Alan suddenly went blank and was almost immediately followed by Ann.  

"NO!!  Something happened to the pair!"

            "Ann and Alan?"  Leeota asked anxiously.

            Sage nodded and then suddenly motioned for Leeota to stop.  She

closed her eyes for a moment... and then opened them.  "We're there," she 

whispered.  "All right, after I set this thing up, we have about 30 

seconds to teleport out of here, K?"

            Leeota nodded.

            Sage poked her head around a corner, slowly, looking into the room

she was planning on entering...  Then hurriedly she spun back into the 

corridor as shouts went up within the room.

            She grinned at Leeota, "Shit... I don't think Mamoru was right

about all the DarkNites going outside--"

            A burst of energy struck out of the doorway.

            "SCATTER!!!!"  Sage screamed and Leeota dove off into another

room.

            Sage gulped in a breath and then jumped into the room.

            "Heh, heh... Um... Hi."

            "INFINITE FLARE BURSTS!!!!"

            *          *          *

            Tuxedo Mask was suddenly there.  Hydrazite was not twenty five

feet from him, facing him, staring at him.

            He leveled his blaster at her, and she mockingly laughed at him.

            "Pitiful human!!  You show me once more how useless your race is--

and how STUPID!!"  Orange energy left her hands to streak towards him...

            But he wasn't there.  She wheeled around looking for him... to

discover him behind her.  

            She growled.  "Quick, aren't you- but you can't elude me

forever--"

            "Hydrazite, do you have any idea who I am?"

            "Yes!!  VERMIN!!"  Orange energy shot at him again, and again he

moved too fast for her.

            She swore as she once again spun to face him.

            "No... I am Prince Endymion, Prince of Earth.  The last ruler of

Earth during the Silver Millennium, engaged to Princess Serenity...  and 

your commander."

            Now she gaped at him, "WHAT!?!"

            His mask was suddenly gone from his face and she gaped at him.

"NO!!!  It's impossible!!  You were killed!!  Nephlite... and the 

others... they killed you, you traitor to Earth..." she paused as 

her eyes flared... "HOW?" she roared.

            "The Queen."

            "WHAT?"

            *          *          *

            Mars was trying to explain to one more of the girls how she could

get her transformation pen, when suddenly she heard the sound of the 

portal opening again to drop another girl.  

            She turned to look and gave out a cry.  "MINAKO!!"

            She sprinted over to where her friend lay, Mercury joining her a

second later.  

            "Minako... Minako-chan..." Mars gently shook their friend.

            The blonde's eyes lolled open, and then grew enormous, "REI!!

AMI!!  You guys are okay!!"

            Mars hugged her and then carefully pulled her away from the spot

where all of the girls kept landing.  "Where are the others?"

            Minako groaned, "Probably around here somewhere."

            "Not yet, you just fell through a portal."

            "A portal!!" she looked incredulously at Mercury.  Mercury nodded.

            "Well, then they should be popping through any second now."

            *          *          *

            "And then Princess Serenity destroyed her, just as she should have

been destroyed centuries ago."  Tuxedo Mask finished his story quickly, 

carefully watched Hydrazite for her reaction...

            And then dodged quickly as she blasted at him with orange energy.

"LIAR!! IMPOSSIBLE!!!  You are simply another human vermin sent her by 

the stupid Senshi to try and confuse me... oh, you look like the 

Prince... but you aren't.  And that inane story might have worked except 

for one small detail."

            "And that would be?" he asked cautiously.

            She struck out at him again, and he moved, and then she finally

answered, "Because, Liar, Nephlite would NEVER have turned on Beryl... 

he was never a traitor... the Prince was!"

            She continued to try and kill him and he successfully maneuvered

out of the way each time, hoping, desperately, that he was giving the 

others more time, and maybe tiring her.  

            He decided to continue the conversation as a memory suddenly

revealed itself in his mind.  "Oh, that's right!!  You and Nephlite 

had a thing for each other didn't you!  Oh, well it's good that I 

didn't tell you why he betrayed Beryl, then."

            She threw a wave of energy in his general direction and then

screamed at him, "WHY?"        

            "Well, because the reason he betrayed her was because he had

fallen in love... with a human girl!"

            A rage took over her as she screamed, "LLIIIIAAAARRRR!!!!" and he

hurriedly had to move out of her way again... and again... and again...

            I can't keep this up for long... I'm getting tired... What am I

going to do... 

            *          *          *

            And just after Aino Minako spoke... the invisible portal opened

again, and Tsukino Usagi fell from the sky...

            *          *          *

            Tuxedo Mask had just run out of ideas, and was rapidly running 

out of strength and awareness to fight off any more of Hydrazite's 

attack... when suddenly, life coursed through him... love and life 

and... power.  He smiled and gasped, closing his eyes, basking in 

the feeling, not even wondering why it was happening, just reveling in

it... and then he opened his eyes...

            And was Prince Endymion.

            Hydrazite gasped, "NO."

            Endymion nodded, "Yes, it is me."  In a short moment he had

leveled his sword in her direction.  "And if I recall Hydrazite, you 

were almost as good as me with a sword--"

            "Better."  From out of nowhere the general-turned-queen had

produced a sword, which she now leveled at him.  She grinned evilly, 

and then struck.

            He parried, and the battle began.

            They locked swords for a moment and he grinned evilly at her, 

"If you accept the fact that I am who I am, then you must realize that 

everything else I said to you might be true as well."

            He saw the rage in her eyes as a tear tracked it's way down her

face, "Damn you... DAMN YOU!!!"  She screamed and shoved him away and 

the battle continued.

            Almost equal power.  Almost equal skill.  Battle went on.

            They stood, swords locked once again, staring each other down...

when suddenly they were thrown across the field by an explosion...

            *          *          *

            Leeota had hidden in the room for what felt like forever, when 

she heard Sage scream.  No!!  I've waited in here long enough!!  

Carefully she set the detonator down, stormed across the hall, and then 

into the room her friend had entered minutes before.

            Five DarkNites loomed over Sage's fallen body near the center of

the room.

            "FLIGHT STRIKER!!"

            One of the DarkNites fell to the energy bird as the other four

looked up at her... and then more than seventy looked up at her from 

the surrounding shadows.

            "Shit."

            She looked at her hands, "Here goes,"  and then she found the

words to call upon the powers she had never had to call upon, in this 

life or the other.

            "AQUA SWIRL!!!"

            As green energy erupted from her body in waves as if from the

ocean, thoughts of that old life returned to her.  She had been a 

Guardian, not a normal Senshi.  Senshi gained their powers by birth, 

Guardians were gifted with their powers by the Queen.  They were

specially chosen warriors, deadly machines, yet, machines with ethics,

morals, good ideas, and imagination who could become advisors and 

friends to the rulers they were assigned to.  For while normal Senshi 

guarded their respective planets, Guardian Senshi guarded people, 

mostly important rulers.  Leeota had always wanted to guard the

Queen and her daughter, and the prince of Earth; but that specific job 

had always been taken by the most powerful Guardian, and when she died 

just before the battle with Metallia, the Senshi of the Terren system 

took up the job.

            She had guarded the ruler of her home planet, Ziglar, a planet 

hovering near the edge of the galaxy... nowhere near where she had

dreamed of living.  Needless to say, not much happens out on the edge 

of the galaxy, and she had never used her most potent power against 

anyone or anything.  

            After regaining her memories in this life, she had always

refrained against using that power, even when her situation was 

desperate... she had been on the brink of death more than once, and 

she hadn't even let the notion of using that power enter her mind...

she was afraid of it, afraid of the destruction it would cause, afraid 

of what it would do to her, and mostly afraid that she wouldn't be 

able to control it; for no one had ever trained her to use that power.  

There just wasn't the time, nor the need for her instruction.

            So she had never used it to save herself-- not ever.  But now not

only was her life on the line... but Sage's as well.  She had promised 

herself, told herself, that if ever someone else ever needed her to use 

her power to save them, she would.  And she used it now... for Sage.

            Green energy swirled around the room, destroying everything.

Leeota panicked... Sage!!  I don't want to hurt Sage!!  Her power 

responded to her will and flowed over and around her friend's fallen 

body.  

            DarkNites screamed as the energy ripped through them and they fell

one by one.  In moments, they were all gone...

            The green energy kept pouring from Leeota, and she desperately

tried to control it... to stop it.  She thought about stopping it, 

screamed it in her mind... but now the power was going out of control.  

She frantically tried anything she could think of, creating mental 

barriers, ripping others down; but the more and more panicked she

became, the more wild the energy became.

            Suddenly Leeota realized that she had given up far too much

energy.  When this was over-- if it was over -- she might not survive, 

that thought raced through her mind terrifying her--

            And then suddenly great pain took over her body.  

            She screamed...  And green energy exploded from her.

            *          *          *

            The armaments placed upon the detonator.  Only Sage could decipher

them, take them off, at least properly.  However, if those armaments were 

burned away... destroyed... and the core was breached by sheer energy...

            *          *          *

            Suddenly the castle exploded... was suddenly ripped apart.

            And as Risa was thrown back, she realized that the explosion was

much more powerful than it should have been.  She gazed at the flames 

erupting from the buildings and wondered if it was only her imagination, 

or if they were slightly green on the edges.

            Her mind was torn away from the thought, though as she heard

cheers go up... We won!

            Or at least that's the way it looks for now.

            Where is everybody though?

End Ep. 10

(Version 1.2)


	11. Change your mind?

(Version 1.2)

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By : MakotoJade – makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode 11 : Change your mind?

            Kino Makoto wasn't what you would call a genius, but she wasn't dumb.  

Average grades, could usually grasp the situation easily... usually... 

            "We're WHERE?!?!" 

            "On the other side of the galaxy." 

            The brunette shook her head, "But, Rei... that's impossible, I mean... 

isn't it?"  She looked crazily around, "I mean, it looks different... but a 

different PLANET?!?"  She looked at the purple grass surrounding her, "This 

could be America... they always have new things... you know, purple grass, green 

flowers... hey, and it could just be some really bad pollution-- " 

            "Two moons?  C'mon Makoto, I doubt even America has two moons." 

            Makoto looked up into the night sky.  "Yeah, well... it just doesn't 

feel any different... all I remember is blanking out, and it didn't feel like I 

was out for that long... are you sure?" 

            "Ami's computer is." 

            She sighed, "Okay, well, I guess that's right then... still is weird-" 

            Suddenly they both heard a scream from across the field.  Rei looked over 

towards where the sound had come from, and then turned back to Makoto with a 

sigh. 

            "Well, I guess Ami helped Usagi put two and two together." 

            "Oh, you mean Mamoru, and how he's probably around here somewhere," Makoto 

supplied. 

            "Yeah, though I'm beginning to doubt that notion of mine." 

            "Why?" 

            Rei sighed, "Well because of the different circumstances... sure, it was 

all done by crystal, but when we were taken, we were taken by youma.  From what 

Usagi says, Mamoru was taken into the crystal after an image of a girl appeared 

on the side and was talking about something... a girl and a youma aren't the 

same thing.  Plus, I've been thinking about the crystals.  Now, I don't remember 

too much about night Mamoru died-- disappeared, but I think that crystal was 

different in some way... shape, size... I'm not sure.  But then... how many 

people go around snatching other people in crystals.  It just doesn't make 

sense!" 

            Makoto closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them again, "You might 

be right about different crystals.  I'm not sure, I didn't get a good look at 

that crystal at all that night.  But as for youmas and girls... you're right, I 

wonder if--" 

            She was cut off as Usagi suddenly appeared next to the both of them, 

"Guys... Ami says Mamo-chan might still be alive and out there somewhere!!  We 

have to go look for him, please!!" 

            Rei sighed, "Usagi, we have to stay here for awhile, help the other Senshi 

teach the rest of these girls about their powers." 

            "Whhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyy?!?" 

            Rei stifled the urge to yell at her not to whine and went on, "Because 

they are scared, and they need our help, and besides, we don't know what's 

outside the fence.  There might be a battle coming that we need to fight, and 

they all need to be ready." 

            The blonde pouted, "Oh, that's what Ami said..."  She then got up and 

walked a little ways away from them and sat down, her back to them. 

            Rei sighed, and almost turned to Makoto to say something again... and on 

second thought looked over to Usagi... she looked fine... no...  Rei looked over 

at Makoto. The other girl nodded.  The both got up and walked towards 

Usagi.  Halfway there, they could hear her soft sobs... 

            Rei knelt down in front of her and hugged her.  The blonde hugged her back 

and sobbed into her shoulder.  Makoto knelt beside them, hands on her knees. 

            "I-it's ju-just that h-he... I thought he was g-gone... an-and now," she 

paused and sucked in a breath, "Oh-oh Rei... I-I want to go f-find him... if 

he's alive... I-I have to see him... have to..."  the crying took over again.  

            Makoto smoothed her hair as Rei continued to hug her, "It'll be all right, 

Usagi-chan, you'll see, it'll be all right..." 

            *            *            * 

            Risa wandered about the soldiers.  They were screaming, laughing... but 

there were bodies all around.  So sad to lose so much to win... win... WE 

WoN!!!  Hydra is dead, we can all live-- 

            "RISA!!!" 

            She spun towards the voice calling her.  A Pathfinder waved her arms over 

her head, "QUICKLY!!!  It's the aliens!!" 

            Aliens... No!!  Ann and Alan!! 

            Risa sprinted over to where the other girl was.  She paled at the sight... 

"Oh, Alan..." 

            Alan looked up at her, blood flowing down his face from a gash on his 

forehead, one of his eyes was swollen shut, his clothes tattered, he looked 

severely beaten up... and he cradled the unmoving Ann in his arms... "Risa... 

Risa, we have to get back to the tree... quickly... Ann is.. dying..." 

            Risa stood in shock for a moment, thought about something she had heard 

long ago, then swore and sent out a mental call for some other Pathfinders.  She 

turned to the girl whom had hailed her, "Listen, you get three others to help 

you, and you take these two back to the camp QUICKLY and help them go where they 

need to go, and to do what they need to do, understand?" 

            Two Pathfinders jogged into view.  "But Risa, camp is so far--" 

            "Teleport." 

            "Tele-- but how?!?" 

            As the two arrived, a fourth girl appeared and began to come closer, "Join 

your energy, form a matrix around them," she waited until the fourth girl was 

standing near before she continued.  "One of the things I was taught about in 

the past was to teleport others with the help of other senshi.  Hold hands and 

form a circle around them, then visualize a sphere about all six of you, 

glowing, luminous, encompassing all of you.  Then, just as you would when you 

teleport, visualize the place you are going, and then go.  I have never done it, 

but in theory it should work perfectly, try it now... and HURRY!!" 

            The one girl nodded, but the first still looked at her, "But why don't 

you--" 

            "Because I have to look for the others, and for the off-worlder whom 

helped us, if these two were fighting, he must have joined the fight as well-- 

now go!! they need attention, and fast!!" 

            She looked to Alan, "Go... save her." 

            Alan didn't even look up at her, but merely nodded and held Ann carefully. 

            The four girls formed a circle around them, and then they began to glow. 

            Risa stepped back and watched as each of them extended their powers, 

somewhat shakily, and attempted to connect with each other.  As power touched 

power, they intertwined and strengthened, and slowly a sloppy circle formed, 

then it strengthened, growing stronger, brighter, tighter; until the light was 

so great Risa had to look away.  And then, with the slightest whooshing noise... 

they were gone. 

            Good luck... 

            Now where the hell is everyone else. 

            *            *            * 

            Sage slowly opened her eyes.  Her body ached in a variety of different 

places, and in places she didn't know she could feel pain. 

            She carefully pushed herself up into a seating position and looked around 

her.. 

            "Good Goddess!!" 

            She was surrounded by wreckage, tons of it.  She slowly looked around as 

she remembered what had happened.  Leeota must have set off the bomb, but 

how... only I knew how to take the armaments off... 

            Suddenly another thought occurred to her, if all this wreckage was around 

her, why wasn't she a part of the wreckage?  She should be dead.  And then she 

noticed a mysterious fact... there was a circle in the wreckage... a circle 

around her, just big enough for her body... but she was safe, and none of the 

wreckage had been able to fall on her... as if someone had been protecting 

her... 

            "LEEOTA!!!"  Sage called out into the semi-darkness of the wreckage.  

"Leeota!!!" 

            She got to her feet.  Climbing through the nearest amassing of steel and 

rock, she continued to call her friend's name as she searched. 

            "LEEOTA!!" 

            *            *            * 

            Endymion slowly pushed himself up to his feet, he was racing Hydra in his 

mind; for if she got up before he could... it was all over. 

            They tied. 

            She slashed down at him with her sword.  "Foolish tricks you try.  How did 

you do that?"  she demanded. 

            He countered her blows.  "Do what?" 

            "Stupid fool.  How did you knock us halfway across the field?  You didn't 

harm me in any way, and you knocked yourself down in the process.  Such fools 

humans are." 

            "You were human once." 

            She snarled and spat at him, swinging for his head, "Damn FOOL!!!  I asked 

you a question!!" 

            Endymion shrugged as he swung away and struck out at her, "I didn't do 

anything, I believe the Pathfinders did though."  He grinned, "Look at your 

castle." 

            She glared at him... and then her eyes suddenly widened.  Continuing to 

fight, she struck his right side harder until he was forced to move around in 

order that she might see her castle... 

            And screamed.  "NO!!!!!!" 

            He was still grinning when the first wave of power struck him as Hydra 

abandoned her sword suddenly and attacked him with her orange energy.  The 

powerful blast carried him halfway across the field, charring his armor and 

burning parts of his clothes. 

            Endymion struggled to get up, but suddenly she was standing over him.   

"DAMN YOU!!!  DAMN YOU ETERNALLY!!!  YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED LONG AGO, 

AND NOW I WILL FINISH IT!!  DAMN YOU ALL!!!" 

            Endymion saw the orange power erupt from her hands... only to be 

intercepted by a burst of potent red energy.  The contact of the two powers 

caused an explosion, burning his skin, and blinding him.  But it was a 

diversion, and he scrambled to try and move.  The earlier blast had hurt him 

severely, but he managed finally to roll a few meters away. 

            For only a moment did he wonder what had happened, when he heard Risa's 

voice, "You, witch, were supposed to die, and you WILL NOT kill my friend!!" 

            He turned, blinking hard to make his eyes work again, to see Risa 

standing, facing Hydra, hands outstretched to attack; he was about to cry out to 

her to run, for there was no way her power could equal Hydrazite's... when he 

noticed about ten Pathfinders behind her, and another seven behind Hydrazite. 

            The queen swore, and screamed in rage-- and suddenly jumped into the air, 

a black portal opening above her head, "YOU WILL NEVER WIN!!!" 

            She was gone. 

            Endymion saw Risa, exhausted, fall to her knees, then look at him. 

            "Risa.." he said weakly... and then went unconscious. 

            *            *            * 

            Swimming... swimming in green.  Too much of it... no air... drowning.  A 

voice. Hard to hear. 

             There is so much I have to do,  

              But I have enough to spare to help you...  

              They need your help, and he will too... 

            Such a beautiful voice...  Breathing... something bringing her up from 

below, pushing her back to the surface.... air... swirling... thoughts... 

sounds... her name... 

            *            *            * 

            Sage tripped again and fell into a tangle of wires, burning herself and 

cutting up her legs even more.  "OW!!!  Why does this have to HURT so MUCH!?!?!"  

She pulled herself over another piece of metal and called out again, "LEEOTA!!" 

            "Sage?" 

            Sage spun, looking around, "Leeota?" 

            "No... It's Clasiea."  Sage turned to see a Pathfinder in purple uniform 

behind her. 

            "Oh, Clasiea..."  But it wasn't one of the normal Senshi uniforms... it 

was a uniform of a guardian.  Suddenly a thought occurred to Sage. 

            "Why are you here?" 

            The other girl shook her head, "Not sure, I guess because while the others 

were all celebrating... it occurred to us to look for Leeota... and you." 

            "Us?" 

            "Me, and Keeta, Janite, Darna, Ol--" 

            Sage interrupted her, "All of you are guardians, right?" 

            The girl stopped and nodded.   

            It's like they were all called here... Leeota must be alive here 

somewhere... 

            Suddenly, as if to respond to her thought, she heard a weak voice... 

"Sage?" 

            Both Sage and Clasiea's eyes lit up as they looked at each other and then 

together called, "Leeota?!?"  

            "Here," came the weak reply. 

            Sage rushed to the spot and began to pry rocks up, Clasiea joining her in 

a second.  After a few moments, they finally pulled two of the heavier rocks 

away and uncovered her.   

            Sage winced as she saw the way Leeota was twisted in the rocks.  But, 

surprisingly... somehow... as they pulled her out, nothing seemed to be broken.  

She was just very weak, battered, and bruised... and she looked like she had 

been severely sunburned. 

            "What happened?!?" asked Sage, "How did you set it off, what did you 

do?!?!"  She and Clasiea supported her as Clasiea directed them towards the edge 

of the wreckage. 

            Leeota smiled softly, "I figured out how to use my greatest power." 

            Sage gaped at her, "But you-  you never-  That's why you look so burned!!" 

            "You went into that room and never came out... heard you scream... went 

in... too many of them.  Had to save you, and kill all of them... used my 

power." 

            Sage shook her head, "You could have died..."  

            Leeota simply smiled, "Had to save you... who would I have to torment me?" 

            Tears formed in Sage's eyes as she controlled the emotion in her voice, 

"I'm gonna have to yell at you later, running into a room, when I specifically 

ordered you not to.  Disobeying your elders once again..."  She trailed off and 

then looked at Leeota, "Thanks."   

            The younger girl grinned at her.  "No prob." 

            Then she wiped her eyes and continued, "By the way... how did you set off 

that bomb?" 

            Clasiea piped up, "Hey, Sage, she's a little tired here, maybe you 

shouldn't make her talk so much." 

            "Oh... oh yeah."  They reached the edge.  Sage looked around.  "Lotsa 

happy people... where's Risa?" 

            Suddenly a Pathfinder ran up to her, "Sage!!  Risa... she fought... 

Hydra's STILL ALIVE!!" 

            "WHAT!?!?  Where's Risa?" 

            *            *            * 

            Hydra pushed herself up from the dirt.  It had been awhile since she had 

teleported last, and she never was good at landings.  As she stood up and 

brushed herself off, dark thoughts filled her mind... 

            I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!  DAMN THEM!!!  All of everything was in that 

castle... there are still the other bases around the world... but... DAMN!!! 

            She looked around.  She had teleported to the nearest place she could 

think of... and the best place for her to be at... 

            She strode up to the doors of the farming facility.  The DarkNite at the 

door immediately bowed and then let her in.  She walked through a short hall, 

and then emerged into the central room.  Everything in attendance looked up. 

            At once, they all gasped and bowed.  She looked around until her eyes 

landed on her general in charge of this mission... and, it seemed, her only 

general, now.  Damn them!! 

            "General, you may rise." 

            The General stood up, "Yes, my queen.  May I ask why we are graced with 

your presence." 

            "The castle is gone." 

            Several youma gasped, yet all remained bowed to the floor.  Good 

discipline... 

            The General gaped, "Surely, my queen, it cannot... how-" 

            "The vermin.  They struck, and somehow destroyed it.  That is of no 

concern now, however.  Is my army prepared?" 

            The General paused for a moment, taking the news in, and then speaking, 

"Why yes, my queen.  Three hundred from around the galaxy."  His eyes lit up for 

a moment, "Oh, and I think you'll really enjoy this... one of them is Sailor 

Moon... Princess Serenity." 

            Hydra knew how wide her eyes were, and how excited she would sound when 

she shouted, "Show her to me!!" 

            The General shouted a command to one of his DarkNites, when suddenly, in 

her excitement, Hydra had an idea, "WAIT!!  Wait... how are you dropping them in 

to the pen?" 

            The General looked at her, confused,  "Well, from a portal about eight 

feet above the ground-" 

            "Perfect!!  I never was good at landings anyways..."  She paused for a 

moment to think... and then laughed... 

            "SO PERFECT!!!!!!!!!" 

            *            *            * 

            Sage pushed her way through the crowd of senshi surrounding Risa... only 

to have Risa push past her.  "Hey-- wait!!"  she called as she turned to follow.   

            When Risa reached the edge of the crowd she turned around and yelled, 

"WHAT?!?!" only to notice that it was Sage.  "Oh!  Sage, sorry... it's just... 

Damn!!  We tried so hard, too...  And then, well, look--"  She motioned behind 

Sage. 

            The green haired Senshi turned, and saw Prince Endymion's lifeless body 

being slowly lifted by three other Pathfinders.  She gasped and turned back to 

Risa, "What happened?!?  And what did they mean Hydrazite is still alive?!!?" 

            "She is alive, Sage, I saw her fighting Endymion... she wasn't in the 

castle for some reason... and she about killed him... oh, Mamuru..."  She gazed 

beyond Sage again. 

            Sage looked back and saw four Pathfinders surrounded in a sphere of light, 

Endymion held in their arms... and then they teleported.  With now even more 

confusion in her mind, Sage turned to look at Risa, to ask her how those senshi 

had just teleported with a non-senshi... and stopped as she looked into Risa's 

eyes.  Her friend continued to stare at the spot Mamoru had just disappeared 

from.  And there was emotion... fear for him... and love... so much love... 

            Oh GODDESS Risa!!  You fell in love with him!!  Don't you know who he 

is!! 

            Risa turned then to look at her and sighed, "Come on, we have to see what 

our status is, and then get back to the camp.  There is a lot to do." 

            Sage suddenly remembered her insight from earlier and said, "Wait a 

minute... what about Ann and Alan?  Where are they." 

            Risa sighed and her shoulders seemed to fall even further, "Come on, I'll 

tell you on the way."   

            *            *            * 

            Minako sighed as she showed the girl her transformation pen once again.  

"See, you have one too... We all do.  If you think about it hard enough, it will 

be in your hand, or in your pocket..."  She motioned putting her hand in her 

pocket and pulling out the wand, "See!  Wow!!  It's there!!" 

            The other girl simply stared at her. 

            Minako sighed and stood up, "Don't worry, I'll figure out how to tell you 

yet..." 

            She turned and walked over to where Rei was sitting watching Ami fiddle 

with her computer.  The Rei looked up at her.  "Well?  How goes the training of 

the new senshi, oh great leader of the inner Moon System Senshi?" 

            The blonde groaned and punched the other girl in the arm, "Oh, hush, and 

stop it with the great leader crap, I can't help it if these girls think I'm 

famous or something." 

            "Oh but you love it don't you?  They copy everything you do, they love 

you!" 

            Minako glared at Rei, then pulled down one eye-lid and stuck her tongue 

out at 

her, "Nyah.  Shut up!" 

            Suddenly both of them heard several, "Nyah"'s and looked to see about 

seven girls pulling their eye-lids down and sticking their tongues out at each 

other or Minako. 

            Rei was rolling around on the ground in a hysterical fit. 

            "SHUT UP!!"  Minako cried in despair. 

            Seven "SHUT UP!!"'s could be heard echoing her.   

            Now Rei was laughing so hard, she couldn't even get a sound out, her body 

just shook, and tears streamed from her eyes. 

            Minako leaned over her and whispered, "Please!!  This is not funny!!" 

            Rei gasped for air, and started to say something, but took one look at 

Minako, and burst into another fit of laughter. 

            Minako groaned and then stormed off and walked over towards Usagi and 

Makoto.  

            Usagi had her finger on one of the girl's foreheads, her eyes were closed 

and she was chanting something. 

            After a minute, she pulled away her finger and opened her eyes.  The other 

girl then opened her eyes and looked at her.  "Princess!!  Where am I... wait a 

minute... I thought--" 

            Usagi smiled and motioned to Makoto, "She'll answer your questions, I have 

to go help the others." 

            The other girl smiled, "I understand, my Princess.  And it is so good to 

see you alive!" 

            Usagi nodded and smiled and moved away.  Makoto then came over to the 

girl.  Minako walked over to Usagi.  Her friend looked over to her and smiled, 

"Hey Minako-chan." 

            "So you figured out how to give their memories back?" 

            "Yeah, Makoto and I talked about it, and then I transformed into my 

Princess form, and it just seemed obvious how to do it." 

            Minako looked at her, "And you can do it in your normal form, too?" 

            Usagi nodded, "Yeah, and it's a good thing, because it takes me a lot of 

energy to transform into my Princess form, and a lot of energy to stay that 

way... and it takes a lot to do this to each girl's mind.  So doing it in my 

normal form helps a lot..."   

            She sighed, and Minako noticed circles under her friend's eyes.  "Hey, 

girl, you okay?" 

            Usagi smiled and looked as if she was about to say 'yes', but then she 

frowned, "No, I wish I was looking for Mamoru, I am tired... and I'm starving!!" 

            Minako pointed over to one of the far fences, "There is like a weird mash 

to eat that is in a bowl like thing over there.  One of the first things Ami did 

was to look for food, because everyone was starving.  She made sure it was 

edible, and it is.  It just keeps appearing, almost like we're farm animals or 

something." 

            Usagi nodded, "I know, and I've eaten it, and it's nasty.  I still eat 

it... but it doesn't fill me at all... I eat tons of it... it doesn't do a 

thing, I'm still hungry."  She closed her eyes, "Oh, what I wouldn't do for 

nachos, or a strawberry shake... or a pizza!!" 

            Minako grinned at her, "Don't worry, we'll get back, and I'll have a pizza 

party at my house!" 

            Usagi turned to her, "You'd better keep your word on that or I--" 

            There was shouting coming from the other end of the field.  Another 

senshi?  Minako thought.  Ami said that we reached 300 girls and that's when 

the drops stopped happening... why 301? 

            Suddenly she saw a glint of armor, a flash of a cape... and dark hair.   

            She gasped-- Just as Usagi screamed and sprinted away. 

            "MAMO-CHAN!!"  Her heart-aching cry ripped through the field. 

            *            *            * 

            Rei couldn't believe her eyes.  A portal had just opened from above, and 

Prince Endymion had just fell through.  He hit the ground, and then pushed 

himself up to his feet and looked around.  Other senshi were shouting at him, 

and towards Usagi...  "Mamoru..." and just as the words escaped her lips, 

Usagi's cry tore at her heart. 

            Faster than humanly possible the blonde raced through the field and dove 

into his arms, sobbing.  "MAMO-CHAN!!"  She cried.   

            Rei wanted so desperately to run into his arms as well, but her mind 

wouldn't let her feet take a step.  For the longest moment, she couldn't take 

her eyes off him.  But then, she suddenly SAW him... was not just gazing at him, 

but SAW what he was doing.  His arms still at his sides, he stared in disgust at 

the girl clinging to him, sobbing. 

            What the hell? 

            A thousand possibilities went through her mind.  Loss of memory had 

happened before... but... Dammit!  Go with your old instincts, Rei... you 

thought he was dead-- 

            She turned to Ami and whispered, "Ami!!  Scan him!" 

            Her friend looked at her, bewildered, "What?  Look, Rei... he's alive!!" 

            Rei shook her friend by both shoulders, "WAKE UP!!  Ami!" 

            Ami seemed to look at her for the first time, "What?" 

            "Look, it's not him, at least I'm pretty sure it's not him, so scan him 

with your computer, see if it is!!" 

            Ami looked at her confused, "But, why--" 

            "JUST DO IT!!" 

            Ami instantly brought up her computer, hit a few buttons... and gasped... 

"You're right!!  It's not... and whatever it is... it's energy pattern matches 

that of... oh no...!!" 

            "What!" 

            "Of the denizens of the Dark Kingdom." 

            Rei screamed, "USAGI!!  GET AWAY FROM HIM!!  HE'S NOT ENDYMION!!  RUN!!" 

            *            *            * 

            Usagi's heart had never known so much pain and joy... she couldn't believe 

it... how was it possible.... but she didn't care... as long as he held her... 

but wait... he wasn't holding her... 

            Then she heard Rei scream. 

            What? 

            Usagi looked up into his eyes, "What do they mean?  I don't--" 

            "Shh..." he said, "Don't let them change your mind..."  He leaned down to 

kiss her, and she closed her eyes and leaned up towards him... she so longed to 

feel his lips on hers... Just before they connected, she heard him whisper, "Let 

me..." 

            She only thought about that for a split second... before she could no 

longer think at all. 

            *            *            * 

            Rei watched them kiss, and then Usagi pulled away and looked up at him. 

            And suddenly he was no longer he... nor a "he" at all.  A woman with 

vividly bright orange hair turned an grinned at Rei.   

            "SHIT!!!" 

            As Rei cried out, other screams went up around the field.   

            The woman simply laughed, "You must be Sailor Mars... far to quick for a 

human... far to cleaver."  She turned to Usagi, "Well, dear, now why don't you 

be a good little Princess and do my work for me..."  She motioned at all of the 

senshi, "They think I'm bad, why don't you change their minds?" 

            Usagi was suddenly Princess Serenity, and turned away from the woman. 

            Her eyes were dead... blank.  She raised up her scepter and began to 

chant. 

            With a flash of insight, Rei realized what was going on.  She raised up a 

hand towards the Princess, "No Serenity!!  NO!!!" 

            And then there was a blinding flash of light... and she couldn't think of 

a single thing to do... or even think... for that matter... 

            Her mind simply echoed one thought. 

            DO AS HYDRA COMMANDS, PATHFINDERS MUST DIE 

End Ep. Eleven.

(Version 1.2)


	12. An Upsidedown World

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By : MakotoJade – makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode 12 : An Upside-down World

            Risa lay on her back, her head in her hands, her fingers knit together.  

She stared into the sky.  Clouds billowed upwards, higher than she could see.  

The one on her left looked like a small animal... the one straight above looked 

like a face... his face...  

            She squeezed her eyes shut.  When she opened them, the clouds had 

shifted, and no longer held any images for her.  Although I probably just 

imagined it anyways... Anything I see I turn into him somehow...  

            She rolled over on her side and started picking at the plants 

surrounding her.  What's wrong with me?  Why am I doing this?  I know who 

he is, who he loves.  It's all destanical.  But... he's so far away from her... 

and if 

he never got back to her, maybe--  

            She angrily ripped a clump of liana grass out of the ground and threw 

it away from her, "NO!!  Stoppit Risa!"  

            "Disciplining yourself again?"  

            Risa started, then recognizing the voice, didn't even bother to look.  

"What're you doing out here?"  

            She heard Sage snort.  "And a merry day to you too, dear."  She heard 

her friend sit down behind her.  "Why are you in such a good mood?" she asked 

sarcastically. 

            Risa hid her sigh.  I wish... I wish I could tell you... I want to...  

"I'm just angry... that's all.  Angry that we tried so hard, and lost so many, 

and 

that the bad guy still got away.  And that we're now all huddled in this 

valley... 

waiting... wondering what we can do next.  And so many have died.  Including 

Jarlin... I can't believe a Pathfinder died.." 

            She couldn't see Sage's nod, but she figured she had as she continued, 

"I just want these people to be free... I want to be free.  We've tried so 

hard..."  

            "We'll win, don't worry, Risa,"  her friend interrupted behind her, 

"Hydrazite is all alone now, and she only has a handful of DarkNites left.  I 

sent out Pathfinders to scout her out... when they find her... we can go get 

her."  

            Risa sighed and then laid to look at the sky again, "But even if we do 

win, what about Mamoru?"  

            *          *          *  

            Sage knew Risa better than anyone... they were like sisters... and when 

she had explained her mood, Sage knew she was lying.  And the direct question 

on Mamoru proved it.  But if Risa wanted to try and keep her emotions hidden, 

to deny them, Sage would let her.  In any other situation she would pry it out 

of 

her... but it was him.  Why, Risa?  How could you let yourself fall for him??  

Anyone else in the entire world... but not him, his heart could never be 

yours...  She must pretend she didn't see it, and maybe she would figure it out 

for herself.  I hope... if not... I'm going to have a lot of emotional work to 

do.  

            "Mamoru?  Well, I suppose we try to get him back home, maybe 

search for more crystal  transports... We only had one version of it, there 

might 

be others--"  

            Risa suddenly sat up and looked at her, hope in her eyes, "Ann and 

Alan!!  Maybe they..." 

            "No, no I've already asked them... Ann is up, and well again, though 

they are still staying at the med facility for now... it's amazing how fast they 

can heal because of their bond to the tree... So anyways, I was asking them 

about it... and when they go through space, they don't have an air seal or 

anything... they just put themselves into a sort-of semi-hibernation state... 

still  

alert and aware, but not active.  Mamoru needs to breathe... and humans can't 

go into hibernation like that."  As she spoke, she saw the hope die in her 

friend's eyes.    

            Then she laid back down.  "Oh."  

            Sage just looked at her.  Oh, Risa...  

            *          *          *  

            "LeeoTA!!!"  

            Leeota winced as she popped her head around the side of the door.  

"Um... yeah?"  

            The nurse looked at her, hands on her hips, "Just WHERE do you 

think you are going."  

            "Um... back to the Pathfinder camp to help my friends..."  

            The nurse shook her head, and started to walk towards her.   

            I have to get back to the others!!      "You don't understand, they need 

my help!"  

            The nurse growled, "You don't understand... you need to get better!!"  

            "I am better!"  

            The nurse reached her and then carefully grabbed her by the arm.  

Even though it was lightly... it stung... her skin was still red.  Leeota winced 

again, this time in pain. "You are not."  She released Leeota's arm.   "Now 

please go back to the med unit dear, we need all of you Pathfinders healthy!"  

            Leeota nodded and sighed, "I'm going."  

            *          *          *  

            Risa had quietly made her way into the small fortress.  It contained 

which once was the second largest, and now the largest medical facility.  She 

quietly made her way inside.  No one saw her as she moved through the 

corridors towards her destination.  She paused a moment before entering the 

room, looked around, and then quietly slipped inside.  She let the door close  

behind her and then leaned back on it as she stared into the room. 

            Mamoru lay on a bed near the opposite side of the room, seemingly 

asleep, but probably  unconscious.  His armor lay in a corner... his armor... I 

still can't figure out how he turned into Endymion again...  

            She moved towards him.  As she neared, she remembered how badly 

she had seen him burned... but as she neared, she marveled at how he had 

healed.  His face was merely pink, and his arms were pink, and... and...   

            Risa suddenly realized he was merely clothed in what looked like a 

half sheet, and then was covered in sheets.  This is reeeally not good for me.  

As she felt herself turn pink, she turned to leave I shouldn't be here...  

            "Usagi."  

            Risa jumped and turned to look back.  "Mamoru?"  

            But his eyes were still closed, his face contorted now though, as if in 

pain, "Usagi, no... it's not me... don't believe... I'm here... please Usagi, 

it's 

not-- listen... to Rei... listen to her-- it's not--"  

            He paused.  Risa moved back towards the bed, "Mam--"  

            "NOO!!!"  He began to scream, and to thrash around.    

            Risa raced over to the bed, "Mamoru!!!  Mamoru, no!!  Stop, please!"  

She tried for a few moments to hold him down, but then suddenly realized she 

didn't want to hurt his wounds any more so then she stepped back, continuing 

to shout, "Mamoru!!  Please!!  It's a nightmare, it's not real!!  It's me!  It's 

Risa, 

wake up!!  It's all just a bad nightmare, please--"  

            His eyes suddenly flashed open, "Risa?"  

            She suppressed the tingling sensation that started within her as he said 

her name.  "Yes, yes it's me, Mamoru... I'm here, I--"  

            He looked at her confused, "What was I saying?"  

            Risa looked at him for a second, "Uh... well, something about Sailor 

Moon... you didn't want her to believe something, to listen... I think that was 

all 

you said..."  

            He continued to look at her for a moment more and then stared up at 

the ceiling.  "Another one of my nightmares... Usagi..."  Suddenly the pain 

seemed to hit him, and he moaned for a moment... and then went unconscious 

again.  

            Risa began to cry.  She couldn't remember the last time she had.  Not 

in a few years, no, not in a lot of years... she never cried, she was strong.  

And 

yet, the tears fell freely from her eyes, unwanted, unbidden, but she let them 

come, and let herself feel all of the sadness that she had tried to suppress... 

every tear a wish for something that couldn't be.  

            She moved to the door again.  Stared at it for a moment, almost turned 

to look at him... but stopped; then she quickly opened the door, and fled from 

the room.  

            Her sobs echoed in the hallway.  

            *          *          *  

            Sage was wandering through camp aimlessly when suddenly she saw a 

Pathfinder running up to her.  She recognized it as one of the girls she had 

sent 

out to look for Hydrazite...  Her heart started to pound...  

            "Sage!!  Sage!!"  the girl ran up to her, and stopped to pant for a 

moment, "I found them... far to the east of here... at one of the farming 

facilities.  A gathering of DarkNites..."  

            "Did you see Hydrazite?" Sage asked  

            "No... but so many DarkNites... wouldn't you think--"  

            Sage cut her off, "Yes, I would.  Thanks, Sheliad."  

            The girl grinned, "Thanks,"  and then the momentary expression 

vanished as a solemness seemed to take her, "Now what?"  

            "Now I find Risa, and we go look some more."  She turned to go-  

            "Sage, do you think we'll win this time?"  

            She looked back at the girl.  She could have said anything... she 

thought for a moment, and simply said, "I hope so... I really hope so."  

            Then she turned, and was off to find Risa.  

            *          *          *  

            Leeota snuck through the corridors of the med facility.  Gosh, there 

HAS to be something to eat around here somewhere...  

            She stopped suddenly as she heard crying around the corner.  Easing 

up along the wall slowly, she took a quick look around the corner and then 

pulled her head back.  What the--   

             Then she simply walked around the corner-- "Risa?!?"  

            The older girl looked up at her, "Leeota?"  She wiped at her eyes.  

"Hey, you... heh, looks like you've got a pretty bad burn going there.  Good 

job, 

though, Sage told me all about it."  She looked like she as trying to smile, but 

she was failing miserably.  

            What the heck is wrong--  "Risa, why... what's wrong?"  

            "Oh, nothing!"  this time she did smile, although one could tell it was 

forced.  "Just being an emotional girl, that's all."  

            Leeota opened her mouth, but Risa cut her off, "Oh," she said quickly, 

"It's just this damned fight, I want it to be over, I want to win."  

            Leeota studied the other girl silently for a moment, but she couldn't 

figure it out, so she just sighed and pretended to go with what Risa was saying, 

for the time being.  She'd ask Sage about it later.  "Yeah, me too..."  

            Suddenly Risa's eyes got a far-away look to them, "Risa--"  The other 

girl held up a hand, silencing her.  

            "It's Sage... they've found what the think to be Hydrazite location..."  

Her eyes returned to normal, "I've got to go."  She stood up quickly.  

            Leeota stood up a second later and grabbed her arm, "I'm going with 

you-"  

            "No, no, you need to stay here, to get better-"  

            "No!!  I am going with you!  Listen, if you were me, you'd want to go 

too, I mean, come on, I'm like second in command behind you and Sage, I 

mean... this is my fight, too, I want to go!"  

            Risa smiled at her, "Are you sure you'll be okay?"  

            "Yeah... just be a little quieter... if that nurse hears this, it's not 

Hydrazite that'll be our  problem..."  

            Risa laughed, Leeota grinned, and then they both ran through the 

corridors.  

            *          *          *  

            "So, everything is set then?  The girl saw all of the DarkNites?"  

            The general nodded.  

            Hydrazite smiled lightly.  So she had lost her fortress.  So Endymion 

was alive.  So he might have said the truth... she clutched the necklace at her 

throat for a second-- and then ripped it from her neck.  She gazed at it.  And 

then incinerated it with a thought.  Nothing mattered now.  Only revenge, 

beautiful, sweet revenge... revenge in which all of her enemies...  

            She looked at Sailor Moon who stood across the room... eyes blank, an 

eerie smile across her face.  

            Yes, ALL of her enemies... would die.  

            "So beautiful..."  and then she laughed...  

            *          *          *  

            Sage shook off the chill that raced along her spine, "Brrr... damnit, I 

know she's still out there, the witch..."  

            "Yes, she is, but we're gonna get her this time, right?"  

            Sage turned and smiled, "Yeah we are, Leeota... yeah we-- What in 

hell is she doing here, Risa!  She can't go along, she's gonna get killed!"  

Sage 

looked at Risa and then at Leeota in annoyance, "Or is that what you want?"  

            Risa sighed, "Oh, come on, Sage.  If you were her, wouldn't you be 

doing the same thing?  Besides us three are a team.  All together, till the 

end."  

            Sage looked at the two of them for a moment, and then threw up her 

hands, "Fine!  Fine!  Anyways, here's where we're going..."  she held up a 

technical readout she had printed a while earlier at one of the other 

fortresses,  

"Do you two think you remember this one?"  

            The two looked it over for a moment, Leeota nodded, Risa spoke, 

"Yes."  

            "Well, then, anything you two want to do before we go check it out?"  

            "Nope."  

            Sage grinned, "Then let's go see if we've found the red-haired devil, 

shall we?"  

            *          *          *  

            A voice.  A beautiful voice.  Hard to hear...  

            "Wake up, dear one, your new friends are in danger, and your love 

needs you... hurry, hurry, you know what to do."  

            Endymion opened his eyes.  He was in some medical facility.. 

monitors were beeping all around him...   

            He sat up and looked around.  What happened--  Suddenly a wave 

of memories flew through his mind.  And then a thought... something about 

Risa... and Leeota and Sage... in danger...  

            He leapt out of the bed and quickly located his armor and clothes.  

Ignoring the pain he felt, he hurriedly got dressed, grabbed his sword and ran 

out of the room.    

            The nurse outside nearly had a heart attack.  He grabbed her by the 

shoulder, "The two... the two with the tree, Ann and Alan... the aliens... do 

you 

know where they are?"  

            The woman nodded and then pointed down the hall.  

            "Great, thanks."  He quickly moved down the corridor and discovered 

it ended in a door.  He quickly pulled it open and stepped inside.  

            The two occupants of the room looked up at him, startled, "Mamoru?"  

"Mamo-chan?"  

            "We've got to find some Pathfinders.  Or Risa, Sage, and Leeota are 

going to die."  

            *          *          *  

            The three now stood in a small valley.    

            Risa looked around, "Now what?"  

            Sage pointed forward and up.  "It's all up over there.  Now let's split 

up, I'll go straight in, you two come around on the sides, we'll take a look, 

and 

then go back--"  

            "Aw, damnit, I thought you'd all come charging in here... but if I get 

you three, oh, well, that'll be enough for now."  

            A rush of cold, hard fear ran through Risa as she spun around, looking 

for the source of the voice.  She glanced at Sage.  Her friend had fear in her 

eyes as she wildly looked around as well.    

            Leeota grabbed her wrist.  "Who the hell-"  

            Sage cried out, and Risa turned to find her pointing in the same 

direction she had been moments before, only now... the sky shimmered, and an 

immense face appeared, laughing down at them.  

            Hydrazite.  

            "Oh shit."  

            "You did very well, being the simple human vermin that you are, but I 

am afraid, that you angered me quite a bit, you see, so, well, I have gathered 

my 

new army.  And they are ready... oh, and, um, you'll die."  

            "NEVER!!"  Risa saw Leeota clench her fists as she yelled into the 

sky, "We've beaten you before, and no DarkNite left on this planet can take us.  

You're the one who's doomed!!"  

            Hydra's face contorted in anger for a moment... and then she laughed...  

"You don't know how wrong you are... Now you will have to fight my new 

army..."  

            "MY ARMY..."  

            "OF VERMIN!!!"  

            And as the sky screamed at them... dozens of colored flashes went off 

around the  field.  The flashes continues for at least a full minute, the three 

Pathfinders gaping as the spun around the field... looking... gaping... 

unbelieving...  

            Hundreds of sailor-suited soldiers covered the field.... Hundreds of 

Senshi...  

            Risa saw Leeota stagger backwards as she herself gasped in disbelief, 

"What the HELL is going on!?!?!"  

            She heard Sage's haunted voice behind her, "She's... she's brought 

them here... from all over the galaxy... so many... they are all still alive..."  

            Still more and more teleported onto the field.  The ones already there 

stared at them, eyes forward, unseeing, and glassy...  

            Risa suddenly heard Leeota, "They probably all had peaceful, new 

lives... like Mamoru had... they might not have ever remembered they were 

senshi and she's brought them here, enslaved them, look at them, they're all 

under some sort of mind-control..."    

            She suddenly stopped, and then almost sobbed out, "GOD DAMNIT--  

we can't fight them guys!!  They don't even know where they are... we can't 

murder them..."  

            Sage and Risa nodded.    

            They moved to form a triangle and faced back to back to back.  

            Risa felt her friends' fear almost as strong as she felt her own.  

            "We're dead..."  

            *          *          *  

            Endymion gasped once more as he watched in confusion as the scene 

continued to unfold.  Dozens of senshi continued to teleport into the valley 

below him, slowly surrounding Sage, Risa, and Leeota.   

            Ann touched his arm, "Where did they all come from?"  

            He shook his head, "I-- I don't know..."  

            Suddenly, in front of Risa... forming the back part of a five-person 

pyramid... flashes of blue, red, green, and orange.. four very familiar faces...  

            "My God in heaven..."  

            He suddenly noticed that all of the other flashes had ceased...  

            And then... just in front of where Risa stood, the last part of the five-

person pyramid blazed into existence in the brightest of white lights.  

            His heart froze.  

            And then he was recklessly running down the hill, Ann, Alan, and 

several Pathfinders screaming behind him.  

            He called out to her --  

            *          *          *  

            "USAKO!!"  

            Risa spun as she heard a cry from behind her.  She saw Endymion 

mindlessly charging down the hill as Ann and Alan raced behind him...  

            Usako? Bunny?  

            Risa turned to the senshi that stood a little less than ten feet before 

her.  

"Sailor Moon?"  

            The senshi merely smiled wickedly and brought up a large scepter.  

Risa gasped as she  recognized it as Queen Serenity's.  She only had a moment 

to think of this before--  

            "MOON PRINCESS ILLUSION!!!"  

            --she found herself being hit by a wave of sheer energy and thrown 

across the field.  She was unconscious before she slammed into the ground.  

End Ep. 12.


	13. Like a Puzzle Complete

(Version 1.2)

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By : MakotoJade – makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode 13 : Like a Puzzle Complete

            "NNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"   

            Sage screamed as tears burst from her eyes, "RIIIIIISAAAAA!!!!"

            It was all happening too fast... one moment they were all alone in the 

valley, the next the sky was screaming and Senshi were amassing around them, and 

now her best friend had just been hurled into the ground by a large amount of 

sheer energy, released by... Sailor Moon...

            "NNNNOOOO!!!"

            And suddenly, as she cried out once more, she saw a wave of Pathfinders 

come running down the hill... yelling, charging...  NO!

            She screamed to them frantically with her mind, RUNN!!  RUN AWAY!!!  ALL 

OF YOU RUN AWAY!!  SURVIVE TO FIGHT AGAIN!!  THERE ARE TOO MANY!!!  And as she 

did, she was surprised once more to see a wave of soldiers now come over the 

hill behind them... hundreds of people.

            And then the other girls' thoughts screamed back at her,  

NEVER!!  We fight as SENSHI... as a TEAM!!   We WILL WIN this time!!

            She smiled wistfully, and then as the thought occurred to her, she cried 

out, hopefully loud enough to enter the soldiers' minds as well,  REMEMBER!!  

Do NOT KILL THEM!!  THEY do NOT know what they do!!  THEY ARE INNOCENTS!!!

            UNDERSTOOD  was the wave of reply that came back to her.

            She turned as she noticed movement, and came face to face with 

Sailor Moon, who was raising her scepter up at her-- 

            "Sailor Moon, I'd like to welcome you to our planet."

            "LUMINESCENT BIND!!!"

            The blonde dodged, but the pink energy wrapped itself around the Senshi 

behind her.  The girl in blue fell to the ground, fighting madly against the 

pink energy shocking her.  The brunette standing next to her suddenly crossed 

her arms and began chanting--

            "SUPREME THUNDER!!!"  

            Sage moved hurriedly as the green energy lightning raced towards her...

            "ECLECTIC LIGHTNING SURROUND!!"

            ... only to be met with Leeota's own green lightning.  The brunette's eyes 

enlarged significantly and with an evil grin and a glare she attacked again.  

She and Leeota moved off slightly as they began an all-out assault on one 

another.

            Sage tried to keep from letting her fear get the best of her... all of 

this was happening to quickly, there wasn't time for her to think.  As the two 

moved past her, she looked up to see a blonde and another brunette; both had 

fingers pointed at her.

            "Aw man..."

*          *          *

            Risa opened her eyes slowly.  Everything hurts... what--

            A yellow energy phoenix flew over her, as a blast of purple energy tried 

to intersect it.  WHAT is going on??  She grunted as she pushed herself up.  

            She gazed around.  Hundreds of senshi threw attacks across the field.  Men 

and women, some armed with blasters, others simply swinging pieces of wood and 

steel, defended themselves and attacked a few of the senshi.  What in the name 

of Serenity--

            Suddenly everything came rushing back into her mind.  Her body screamed at 

her as she pushed herself to her feet and looked around.  Immediately she was 

moving, dodging an attack as she shot out her own "RED POWER BLAST" at the 

senshi who had fired.

            "WORLD SHAKING!!!"

            She heard the next attack and dodged before it could hit her -- a sphere 

of yellow energy dug into the ground where she had stood moments before.  She 

instantly recognized the attack, and swung around to look for her attacker.  

"Uranus?!?"  The back of a familiar looking blonde head was moving away from her 

rapidly.

            So... all of the senshi of the Earth system survived... Mamoru just 

hasn't met them yet.  This is bad.  All these girls, many of them not even 

knowing that they were senshi... brought here... Oh, Lord!  What if they did 

know?  What if they were on a planet like here... at war... can their planets be 

without them?  We've got to find a way to get them back--

            "Dead Scream"  

            Risa barley heard the whisper of an attack.  But her mind registered it 

and her body leapt just in time to avoid a sphere of purplish energy.  She spun, 

"PLUTO?!?!"

            The green haired girl had begun to turn away, but she suddenly stiffened 

and slowly turned to look into Risa's eyes.  "Yes, you are Sailor Pluto."  Risa 

heard herself talking; wondering what in the hell she was doing, the senshi 

standing before her had enough power to flatten her.  "Sailor Pluto, Guardian of 

Time... and you aren't supposed to be here, you should be guarding the Gate.  Do 

you understand anything I'm saying?"

            The other girl stared at her for a moment longer and then swung her staff 

up and began to chant--            "NO!  Pluto!!"  Risa grabbed the staff and used all of 

her strength as she fought the other senshi to hold it there.  "Listen to me!  I 

know you!  I'm Sailor Sabi!  We've met before, in the palace!  On the Moon over 

a thousand years ago... but you of all people have to remember!  We all served 

the Queen, and the Princess, during the Silver Millennium... the Moon Kingdom!!  

Please remember!!  You have to remember Serenity--"

            "Serenity."  Pluto's eyes seemed to focus as she blinked.  She shook her 

head and then looked at Risa, "Sailor Sabi?"

            "Call me Risa," Risa smiled at her.

            "What's happening, where am I?"

            "You're on Sabi, in the middle of a war--"

            Pluto's eyes shown confusion.  "Wait a minute-- Sabi... Serenity's 

curse... It all makes sense now!!  I knew it, I-- Wait a minute... war?"

            "It's a long story.  Suffice it to say if a senshi fires at you, don't 

fire back; she's most likely on my side.  All of the others, including Sailor 

Moon--"

            "SAILOR MOON!" Pluto dropped the staff and grabbed Risa's arms; "Sailor 

Moon is here?  On Sabi?!?"

            "Yes, her and the others with the blank stares are all attacking us-- the 

people of this planet.  We don't want to hurt them--"

            Pluto closed her eyes, "Oh, Serenity.  I understand it all now.  

Everything fits.  But she can't remain here, it will ruin the rest of the 

scheme..." she looked up at Risa, "You must take me to--" 

            The green haired girl dove on Risa as an orange bolt of energy streaked 

through the space where Risa had just been.  Pluto got up first and offered Risa 

a hand; "You must take me to Sailor Moon."

            Risa stared up in confusion.  What did all that she had said mean?  

            She accepted the help up, "Okay, let's go."

*          *          *

            Through trickery and clever dodges, Sage was still moving and had bound 

the red attired senshi, but she was still dodging the one in orange.  Sailor 

Moon was a pace away, too, blasting energy at Pathfinders and soldiers left and 

right.  The blue clad senshi was still struggling with her pink energy bonds, 

and had somehow managed to bring out a small device that resembled a computer.  

Great-- now what is she doing...       

            Her random thought distracted her for a moment... a moment too long.  She 

was struck in the shoulder by an orange beam of energy.  She fell back, 

screaming in pain.  The orange senshi loomed over her.  Sage quickly rolled and 

swept her leg around, knocking the girl to the ground.  She leapt on top of her, 

"LUMINESCENT BIND!!!"  The girl was instantly bound in pink energy and was 

screaming a rage of garbled words.

            However, Sage didn't even have a chance to enjoy the moment as someone 

dove at her from behind.  She hit the ground hard, her injured shoulder 

spasming-- but she kept moving, the fear of what would happen to her if she just 

continued to lay there more powerful than the pain.  She rolled and fought 

against the person who clung to her.

            Finally she overpowered whoever it was and rolled her over, pushing 

herself up and holding the other girl's wrists to the ground.  "You again?!?" 

she asked of the girl, astonished.  Somehow, the blue haired girl had freed 

herself from the energy bonds.  How...?  But something else plagued Sage's 

mind now... she knew this girl.. from somewhere...

            And suddenly, even though the significance was a memory over a millennium 

old, it clicked in her head.

            "SAILOR MERCURY?!?!"

            The other senshi continued to fight against her grip.

            "Sailor Mercury!!  It's me, It's Sailor Kioku!  Remember?!  When I was on 

the Moon you and I talked about computers and machinery in your workshop!  

Remember!?  It was so amazing and you were telling me all about the work you 

were doing on the moon and..."

            She trailed off as she watched the girl stare back at her in shock.

            "Sailor Kioku?" the girl asked as she stopped struggling.

            Sage was about to grin when someone's foot connected with her side, 

thrusting her away from the girl and into the dirt, knocking the wind out of 

her.  She moaned as she clutched her side, and looked up to see Sailor Moon 

lining the scepter up with her head.

            "Sailor Moon!!  NOO!" Mercury cried as she struggled to get to her feet... 

but she couldn't get up in time to stop her friend.

*          *          *

            Risa stopped her first.

            She dove headlong into Sailor Moon and the two fell to the ground.  Sailor 

Moon was turned about immediately and grappled with Risa for the scepter.  In 

seconds Risa had it and was up and moving, Sailor Moon tearing across the field 

after her.  Risa stopped suddenly, reaching the edge of the hill.  She spun 

around, leveling the scepter at Sailor Moon.  

            Screaming incomprehensibly, Sailor Moon dove at her and the two fell 

backwards, rolling down...

*          *          *

            A tall, green haired Senshi helped Sage and Mercury to their feet.  

"What's going on?" asked a bewildered Mercury.

            "Don't worry," said Sage, "just help us get your friends here back 

under control."

            Mercury nodded and went over to the orange and red dressed senshi... as 

Sage simultaneously recognized them as Venus and Mars.  Shocked, she looked back 

over to the green haired senshi and realized she wasn't a Pathfinder at all, as 

she had first assumed... and then Sage suddenly realized in astonishment which 

senshi now stood before her... "PLUTO!!"

            The older girl looked at her, and then put a finger to her lips.  "Shhh, 

don't speak so loud."  She pointed to the other Earth system senshi.  "They need 

not know who I am.  But let's worry and talk later... what happened to Risa and 

Sailor Moon."

            "I'm not sure, I was on the ground, I saw Risa dive into her, but after 

that... didn't you see?"

            "No, Risa was slightly ahead of me, I had to deal with about four 

senshi... and then when I got here I saw you laying there... we have to find 

them... quickly."

*          *          *

            Risa dodged and ran again as Sailor Moon blasted pink energy at her once 

more.  Damnit!  She's too good, she already got the scepter away from me... 

have to keep moving... not too much I can do...  Thoughts got knocked away as 

she dove to the ground to avoid another blast.  This fight is going nowhere... 

and I'm getting tired fast!  

            Another power burst streaked towards her.  She dodged and rolled, but this 

time didn't get up in time and she couldn't move fast enough to get out of the 

way.  Pink energy caught her in the shoulder and she fell back to the ground.  

She tried to push herself up, but pink energy struck her in the side of the 

head.  She fell back to the ground.

            Weakly, she opened her eyes and saw Sailor Moon lift her scepter--

            When a rose cut into the ground between her and Sailor Moon.  

            "USAGI!!   SAILOR MOON!  Please do NOT HARM this girl!!  She is a senshi, 

just as you are... Usagi..."  Tuxedo Mask was suddenly standing but an arm's 

length from Sailor Moon.  His eyes were brimmed with tears, "Usako..."

            She looked at him, her eyes still blank.

            "Usagi... please..."

            Suddenly she thrust her fist into his stomach and he doubled over.  She 

shoved him away like a rag doll.  He fell back to the ground.

            She then turned back to face Risa, a horrifying void in her eyes and her 

mouth contorted in a maniacal grin.

            Risa's eyes widened in horror as Sailor Moon leveled the scepter with her 

face.  She struggled to move, but she had nothing left...

            "MOON..."

            "USAGI... NOO!"

            "PRINCESS..."

            Risa squeezed her eyes shut and prepared for whatever death may be.

            "ILLUSION!!!"

            "NNOOOO!"

            Pink shards and energy streaked from her scepter.  But seconds before it 

struck Risa... Tuxedo Mask dove in front of her.

            Both of them were slammed across the field.  As they landed, Risa 

screamed.  She painfully struggled and moved out from under his now lifeless 

body.  She shook him, "TUXEDO MASK!!  Mamoru!!  GOD NO!!  Please GoD NOOO!"

*          *          *

            All of this happened in slow motion for Sailor Moon.

            From the instant the scepter fully discharged it's potent force, she had 

begun to realize things.  First, that it didn't seem like she was doing the 

right thing, in fact.. what was she doing... A second ago, she hadn't had to 

think at all.  Now...

            What have I done???

            As she stared at Risa crying over Mamoru, her life suddenly came back to 

her... everything...

            "Tuxedo Mask," she whispered.  She suddenly flung the scepter away from 

her and screamed.  "MAMO-CHAN! NOO!"  She recklessly ran to him and threw 

herself on him as she sobbed.  "What have I DONE!"

*          *          *

            Risa looked at this girl, the girl who was the Princess, and was 

immediately filled with bitterness and anger... but also sorrow... and, although 

her mind screamed at her not to acknowledge it, a great deal of jealousy.

            She saw movement to her right.  She looked over to see Sage and several 

other senshi standing not too far off, watching the scene.

            Risa turned back to the sobbing girl, "Sailor Moon... I..."  She reached 

to put her hand on the girl-- and sprang back-- touching the girl had given her 

some sort of electrical shock.  Her eyes widened as a silver gleam began to 

shine around the girl.

            Risa struggled and pushed herself away from Sailor Moon and the body of 

Tuxedo Mask, as both seemed to begin to glow.

*          *          *

            "She's doing it."

            Sage jerked her head to the side.  Pluto stared at the scene, intent and 

calm.  "Whaa?"

            "She'll make amends, she has to... but it will be her last deed, I 

suspect.  I always wondered how she did it, what an exciting event to see!"

            Sage was baffled, "What the hell?"

            Pluto suddenly turned and smiled at her, "Don't worry, you won't remember 

a thing."

*          *          *

            Leeota swung another attack at the green senshi-- when suddenly her eyes 

were drawn to a silver light emanating from somewhere not too far away.  Her 

will to fight was suddenly gone as she stared.  Somewhere in the back of her 

mind she remembered that the green senshi had been attacking her; but she as 

well was being drawn to the light.

            Both began to walk in it's direction, as did all of the senshi in the 

field; leaving baffled soldiers gawking in their wake.

*          *          *

            Sage gasped as the light grew stronger.  She turned to Pluto, "Tell me 

what in blazes is going ON!!"

            But the other girl stared smiling at the scene, "Ah, the Princess... 

I have not seen her this young in ever so long..."

            Sage looked back and saw that it was the Princess who now cried over 

Tuxedo Mask.  Suddenly the girl cried into the air, and there was a blinding 

flash--

*          *          *

            And then they were all, all of them, every senshi who had just been 

fighting in the rolling fields of the planet Sabi, standing together in a place 

that Sage somehow knew... but didn't know.  The thought occurred to her that she 

might have known... long ago...

            A woman stood now, in a long white dress, just behind the Princess.  She 

smiled, and then kneeled down behind the girl and laid a hand on her shoulder.  

The Princess slowly looked up, her eyes puffy, her face tear stained, and gazed 

at the woman.  "Queen Serenity?"

            "Mother?"

End Ep. 13

(Version 1.2)


	14. Serenity's Mistake

July 2, 2000  
Author's Notes:   
            First off, let me apologize to anyone who has been following this story   
since '96.  I am sorry I haven't posted anything in over a year, almost two,   
I think.  I was writing mostly based on thoughts I conjured in High School,   
and when I left, I ran out of the need to send my thoughts into a fantasy   
world.  I wrote some freshman year of college, and then I just stopped.  
            I re-read everything about a few months ago (If you'll note, there are   
a lot of version 1.2's of the previous episodes) and made a few changes,   
mostly in grammar and spelling.  Then I rummaged around and found all of my   
old papers and story notes.    
            I am currently re-writing a lot of things, but I hope to have   
everything finished in the next few months.  I mean, the whole story will be   
finished and posted definitely by the end of September, at the latest.  I   
hope to get it done by the end of July, but we'll see how school and job   
permit.  
            I apologize to everyone, I know the story lost many followers from my   
lack of attention and my lapse.  I hope you all enjoy how it all ends up.  I   
actually wrote the basic outline of how I wanted it to end long before I even   
came up with the beginning.  It has just taken me a dreadfully long time to   
get all the way there.    
            Thank you all for coming back and reading again and again.  And thanks   
to everyone who has emailed me or has written in my Guestbook about my   
stories.  I would have never gone back to read any of it or to work on it if   
not for some of your emails and entries.  I would especially like to thank a   
certain Demosthenes (nice reference name, too, btw, and I read your Guestbook   
entry long before you emailed me) who left me a little note that really helped   
me change my mind and decide that this was something I really needed to do (and   
it made my day, too).    
            So I hope you all have enjoyed up to this point, and continue to like   
the story through its end.  I've loved having you all read my work.  Thank   
you.  
  


SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without  
By : MakotoJade - makotojade@hotmail.com  
Episode 14 : Serenity's Mistake  


  
            Risa gaped.  She couldn't really do anything else.  A few moments ago   
her mind had almost ceased to function.  In one moment, she was laying near a   
fallen Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Moon crying over him.  The next it seemed as if she   
were half the field away as Queen Serenity knelt behind Princess Serenity...   
who was crying over a fallen Endymion.  She gazed around.  All of the senshi   
stood the same distance away as well.  They all made up a rather large circle.    
And in the center--  
            The Princess...  There she was, Princess Serenity, the Princess she   
and thousands of others had sworn to protect so very long ago.  The   
Princess... and... her mother.  
            Serenity...  The light of the Universe, the one who's hand once held   
onto galaxies.  The ruler of the Silver Millennium... and her own savior as   
well.  
            But, what had happened?  A blinding flash of light and then they were   
all here, on the moon, the battle and Sabi forgotten, everyone staring at the   
specter of their royal highnesses.  
            And lying lifeless before the Princess... Mamoru!!  Risa tried to   
push herself to her feet, then failed with a moan.  Her body had still not   
recovered fully from the first of Sailor Moon's scepter blasts, let alone the   
fight and beating the girl had then given her.  She desperately kept her eyes   
open and forced herself to think and to try and ignore the pain.  
            It was all she could do to just try to stay conscious, and watch...   
  
*          *          *  
  
            "Mother?"  Princess Serenity stared up in surprise.  Then she looked   
around her.  "The moon.  I'm on the moon again..."   
            Mamoru!  The thought snapped back into the front of her mind as she   
again looked down to the unmoving body she tightly held in her arms.  She   
choked out a sob, "Oh, what have I done!"  
            She felt her mother's hand grip her shoulder tighter.  "Darling, would   
you bid your Guardians to revive him?"  
            The Princess looked again at the elder Serenity, "Heal him?"  She   
looked back down at her love, "Yes!  Yes, whatever can help him, please!!    
Anything!"  
            Queen Serenity nodded, then stood, and swept her gaze across the area,   
speaking in a quiet voice that shouted in certain minds.  "GUARDIANS, I BID   
THEE HEAL YOUR PROTECTORATE, THE ROYAL PRINCE OF EARTH, ENDYMION, WHO NOW   
LAYS HERE BEFORE YOU."  
  
*          *          *  
  
            Leeota's mind swam.  Images and things that were happening around her   
meant nothing.  She, as well as the rest of the senshi around her, had entered   
a trance-like state.  Induced by Serenity, it controlled and blocked all but   
four of the minds on the field.  She would most assuredly never remember this   
time.  
            When the tall white haired woman looked up next, a powerful golden wave   
of command flowed over Leeota.  She must follow it, she had to.  She began to   
walk towards the woman, to the center.  
  
*          *          *  
  
            Pluto watched with great interest as the guardian senshi separated from   
the rest of the group and walked to form a circle around the Princess and   
Endymion.  
            She spoke to the Sage, "Wonderful!  So many have survived!  In all   
accounts of my memory, only five other such rituals by Guardian senshi have   
ever been performed.  I have never been able to observe one myself, thought I   
have been tempted many times to bend time slightly to go see one, isn't it so   
intriguing..." She glanced at the girl beside her.  The other senshi was   
staring mindlessly towards the Queen.  
            Pluto sighed.  "Oh well."  The thought occurred to her to look around   
for others who may still be aware.  She couldn't see anyone but the Princess,   
the Queen... and then her eyes fell on Risa and widened.  
            "Sailor Sabi is still very much aware."  She thought for a time, "I   
wonder if Serenity wanted this, or if her spell was somehow incomplete."  
  
*          *          *  
  
            Risa watched as Leeota and several identically dressed others walked   
down to form a large circle around Mamoru (Or Endymion?  But he was Mamoru   
either way to her) and the Princess.  From where she was, she had heard every   
exchange so far between the Queen and her daughter.  
            After the circle was complete, the Guardians suddenly began chanting,   
not in any intelligible tongue, but in monosyllabic song rhythms, up and down   
the scale.  
            Risa had almost fallen into the rhythm, enchanted, when suddenly every   
girl in the circle began to glow.  As she watched, the glow condensed, flowing   
out of their arms and legs as their costumes became luminous.  Then small   
spheres formed in front of each girl, their intensity building with each second.    
The brilliance almost burned itself into Risa's eyes, when suddenly each girl   
screamed.  The glow burst from them and pelted into Mamoru's body.  
            Risa cried as she watched him bounce around, as if someone were   
punching him rapidly.  Then he was still.  
            All of the Guardians seemed to melt.  They fell to their knees,   
released hands, and then fainted.  Many fell gently to the ground.  One   
slammed into it.  
            "LEEOTA!"  She forced herself to her knees, nearly passing out, and   
weakly began crawling towards her friend.  All my fault.  She was so weak...   
never should have let her come...   
  
*          *          *  
  
            Tears continued to flow from the eyes of the Princess.  Although she   
suspected the senshi surrounding her were trying to heal him, the wild   
thrashing of Endymion's body had terrified her.  
            "LEEOTA!"  
            She turned as she heard a cry.  The red suited senshi whom Tuxedo Mask   
had been protecting was struggling towards them slowly.  
            She felt her mother kneel back down beside her.  "You should heal her,   
she has been protecting this planet, as well as your love for the past   
weeks."  
            "But... how can I?"  
            "You have the power, you are powerful enough to do that."    
            And as she spoke, the Princess knew exactly what to do.  
            She nodded, then clutched the crystal on her chest as she pointed her   
other hand at the girl.  "Moon Crystal Power," she whispered.  Energy flew   
toward the other girl from her outstretched hand.  
            "NO!!"  The other girl screamed in terror... and then the energy washed   
over her.  
  
*          *          *            
  
            Risa saw the Princess shoot some sort of energy beam at her.  She   
screamed and tried to fling her hands up to block it, but they wouldn't   
respond.  She closed her eyes, and then it hit her.  
            She was awash in sudden life.  She felt wounds closing on her body,   
felt the tiredness fleeing and her alertness returning to her.  
            Then it was over and she realized she had been healed.   
            Risa breathed in slowly.  Then, she tried to get up.  She found it   
suddenly easy, when moments ago her muscles had screamed in pain.  
            She stared at her hands for a moment, then her head cleared as she raised   
her eyes back up.  She hurriedly made her way to her friend's fallen body.  
            "Leeota?"  Rolling her friends body over, she found her skin cool.  She   
quickly checked for a pulse... and found it, but weak, it was so very weak.  
            "Why?!?" she asked as she accusingly looked up at Queen Serenity.  "Why   
did you make her do it, she's so weak, she could die!"  
            The Queen's eyes saddened, and then, she bit her bottom lip.  If Risa   
hadn't been so worried, so unsure, she might have smiled, it made the dignified   
Queen look very, very young.  For someone so... ancient...  
            "I didn't know, and I am sorry.  But her power was needed, and Guardians   
do have special reserves for such a job."  Her voice suddenly assumed a detached   
quality, "It is their duty, to guard the royal family, and to give their lives,   
if need be.  It has been done time and time again—"  
            "Damn it, I don't care."  Risa angrily interrupted.  Something in her was   
alarmed, was she yelling at Queen Serenity?!?!  But she went on, "She's my   
friend, and she is important to me, and it should be voluntary anyway."  She   
waved her hand and gestured at the others, "They all look like they've been   
drugged.  I understand it is important to save Mam-- Endymion, but not like   
this, you forced it, they would have done it.  The Silver Millennium doesn't   
even exist anymore and I—-"  
            A tear suddenly escaped the Queen's eye, and Risa halted mid-sentence.    
"I- I'm sorry, I was just angry, I- I care about Leeota and it just—-"  
            "No, it's alright, it's just that, it seems I've made another mistake."    
She wiped her face and then sighed.  "But, it is important that none of them   
remember this, I want their lives to be less confusing, and I plan on restoring   
everything as best I can as my last move in this game."  She looked at Risa,   
then turned to her daughter, "Serenity, do you feel up to healing her friend as   
well?"  
            Risa turned to the Princess.  The girl had been silently watching them.    
She nodded.  "I can tend to the others, too."  She carefully moved out from   
under Endymion, who appeared to be sleeping now, peacefully.  She leaned over   
Leeota and whispered some words.  The color seemed to come back to Leeota's face   
somewhat.  Then the Princess moved on to the next girl.  
            Risa turned back to the Queen.  "Is that it, then, is that why you are   
here, to save Endymion?"  
            The Queen sighed, and then, in a very un-lady-like fashion, hiked up her   
dress and then sat on the ground opposite Risa, who still held Leeota in her   
arms.   
            "No, that was just something that happened, I had no real idea that was   
going to occur.  I actually came here to repay a debt."  
            Risa frowned, "A debt?"  
            "Yes, one that I owe you and the rest of these girls standing together   
here.  From long long ago."  
            Risa frowned more, if such a thing was possible and repeated, "A debt?"  
            Serenity sighed, "Because of a mistake."  
  
*          *          *  
  
            "You remember, long ago, the fight against the darkness?  How all of the   
senshi of the galaxy were called in to help the fight.  You, and the others that   
were on this planet were about to take off in the space ship to bring you to the   
Moon's system.  The others, the ones you see here now from other planets, plus   
countless thousands more, were either near the battle, or preparing to travel to   
it.  
            "Then, the Princess was killed before my eyes, along with Endymion, and my   
mind came up with only one solution.  Save everything, save them all, and send   
them to the future.  
            "I cried... but then I did it.  And they were all sealed, Luna and Artemis   
could go find the Princess when her soul awakened again, and could guide her   
should evil ever befall her again.    
            "And then... and then...  
            "Well, and then I did something that occurred to me to be the right thing   
to do... at the time...  
            "I sealed you all as well.  With the power of my wand gone, I used the   
scepter.  I thought to save all of you for the future.  You would all be born   
again, a few years or so before or after the time Serenity's soul was released,   
and I thought that you could all bring the galaxies back together, that you   
could bring harmony back again.  
            "In the centuries that have passed since then, I have never regretted   
anything more than that single act.  
            "I stole you away from a galaxy that needed you.  Your planets were left   
defenseless from the remnants of the Dark Army and without your powers, they   
were quickly taken over.  Empires fell, cultures deteriorated, your races became   
slaves.    
            "All because of a single selfish act, from a vain Queen who pretended to   
be a guardian.  I basically left the universe defenseless.    
            "I have mourned this act, for eternity, and have awaited for a time to   
arrive that I could somehow, in some small way, repay back to you, somehow,   
something worthwhile."  
  
*          *          *  
  
            Risa didn't know what to make of anything right at the moment.  All she   
could think about was the fact that the Queen, the one person she had deemed   
infallible, in all of the memories she could recollect, had made a mistake.    
But...  
            Serenity's eyes shone with unshed tears.  Risa looked down and then looked   
back up at her.  "You couldn't have thought of everything in a single instant.    
But, it still was wrong to think only of the future.  In life, if you don't   
think about where you are, what you are doing and what is going on, you won't   
have a future to get to.  What if the DarkNites had destroyed the Earth, then   
even the Princess would not be here."  
            Serenity sighed, "You aren't telling me anything I haven't thought ten   
thousand times in the hundreds of years that have passed.  Repaying this debt   
has been one of the things that has caused me to linger here as long as I have.    
And I do not have that much longer."  
            She stood, all graceless manners gone, as she resumed the eerie Queen   
stance of Risa's dreams, the elegance of something so old, so timeless.  "And so   
I must begin.  First, your strength."  
            She leaned down and touched Risa's forehead.  Risa gasped at how cold the   
touch felt, and then she felt shields forming in her body, and a strength, as if   
she could now hold something, contain something powerful...  
            "Then, Pluto?"  The Queen turned.  
            Risa blinked, and then looked to where the Queen was facing.  Sailor Pluto   
stood, momentary shock passing her features, then she regained her silent   
control, as she walked towards the Queen, "Yes, your Highness?"  
            "I trust you will be recording all this so that you may tell the Neo-Queen   
as she will forget all of this until that time."  
            "Yes, your highness."  
            "And Pluto, I thought you were supposed to be in the time Gates at all   
times, that is where you were, even during the attack on the moon."  
            "Ah, yes your Highness..."  Risa thought she heard her mumble something   
about 'stepping out for some coffee' before she looked back up at the Queen.    
"It will not happen again."  
            The Queen looked at her and smiled slightly, "Oh, I'm sure it will, but   
try not to do it too often, important events shall happen..."  
            The Princess had found her way back to them.  "Moth—- Serenity, I have   
healed as many as I could find injured.  What should I do now?"  
            The Queen smiled at her, "You and Sailor Sabi must now save this world.  I   
have given her the power to use the power of others.  You already have this gift   
and have utilized it, have you not?"  
            The Princess nodded.    
            "Then together, you two must save Sabi.  Then I will take care of the   
rest.  Well, most of it."  
            Risa slid Leeota off her lap carefully and then stood up.  "What does that   
mean?  And just what am I supposed to do with other people's power, I mean, what   
am I supposed to do."  
            "First the Princess must free their minds, then, you must all fight,   
together, and then... then we will see."  
            "See?!?!" Risa said, anger rising in her voice, "What the hell does THAT   
mean??  I mean-"  
  
            The Queen smiled.  
  
            The they were back on the plains of Sabi, and the battle raged around   
them once more.  
  
End Ep. 14  



	15. Something I've Waited For

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By : MakotoJade - makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode 15 : Something I've Waited For

            "And then... then we will see," replied Queen Serenity.

            "See?!?!" Risa said, anger rising in her voice, "What the hell does THAT mean?? 

I mean-" 

            The Queen smiled. 

            Then they were back on the plains of Sabi, and the battle raged around them once 

more. 

            Risa blinked, Leeota had been next to her, now her friend was gone.  Everyone 

is back where they were before, like time stopped or something.  

            She looked around for a moment, then grabbed Sailor Moon and dove to the 

ground over Endymion's body to avoid being hit with a rather large sphere of glittering 

pink energy.  "This is getting really old…"  She looked sideways at the other girl, "What 

the heck is going on here exactly… and when did you turn back into a senshi… and 

what.. what… what the hell are we going to do??!?!"

            Sailor Moon smiled sideways back at her.  "I really don't know either, sorry."

            A blue energy dragon screamed as it slammed into the ground not three feet from 

them.  A shower of dirt, grass, and water fell over them.  Risa groaned.  "Great, just 

great.  Well, now what are we going to do?"

            Sailor Moon looked back at her as if trying her best to come up with something, 

when they both heard voices calling their names.

            Looking up slowly, Risa recognized two of them.  She called out to her best 

friend.  "SAGE!!!"

            In moments, a circle of senshi had been formed around them and Endymion's 

body and she and Sailor Moon stood and hurriedly dusted themselves off.  She moved 

behind her friend, "Sage, what's going on??"

            Her friend called back over her shoulder, "I thought you could tell me!  There was 

this flashing bit of light, Pluto said something freaky, I swear I thought I was somewhere 

else for a moment, and then the fighting was happening again.  Like nothing happened.  

But something did, didn't it?"

            Risa opened her mouth to shout back at her, when the girl next to Sage grabbed 

her arm.  She looked up.  Pluto looked at her, with meaning in her eyes.  Risa swallowed, 

then shouted back at Sage, "Let's just say I'm not quite sure myself!  Who are the others 

with you, I don't know them—"

            "Sailor Moon's personal guards, from the same system, you know, Venus and the 

like.  They weren't under as deep as the others or maybe they're just more powerful."   

            Risa looked around at the others, "I'd wager on the power bit.  I thought there 

were more of them though."

            "Yeah, well, the fourth is off fighting Leeota for the moment I think.  She hasn't 

broken free yet."

            Leeota…   She shouted, "How are the Pathfinders doing, do you know?"

            "As far as I can tell, no one has died yet, but I can't say the same about the 

soldiers.  If only these other senshi would just wake up!"

            Suddenly, something occurred to Risa and she turned to look at Sailor Moon.

*          *          *

            Sailor Moon couldn't believe anything anymore, it was all happening too fast.  

One moment, she was standing as her Princess self on what had to be the moon, then 

back on the field full of Sailor Senshi fighting again.  She only dimly remembered the 

fighting, like a dream.

            The girl who the Queen had called Sailor Sabi had saved her then from an attack, 

and a minute later, she saw, relieved, her friends running towards them.  

            In moments she stood behind Sailor Venus, "I'm so glad to see you guys!  You 

have no idea."

            "What just happened??  I mean, I have no idea even where we are, there was 

fighting, Sailor Kioku woke me up and then I got to Venus and Mars, but what was that 

light… I thought we were somewhere else for a second." asked Mercury from her left.  

She was actively creating a fog around the group.

            "We were on the moon, don't you remember?"

            "Are you sure, all we saw was a white light, I remember looking for a moment, 

and then the battle was still going on,"  Mars shouted from the right.

            "Wait a minute – where's Jupiter??"

            Venus screamed a Crescent Beam attack and then shouted over her shoulder, "We 

have no idea, she's probably still under the mind control."

            Mind control…  

            She suddenly remembered the Queen's words and turned to find Sailor Sabi… 

and found the other girl facing back at her.

            "I almost forgot."

            "Me too."

            She turned back to her friends.  "Guys, I'm going to need your help."

            "What are we going to do?" called Venus over her shoulder.

            "The same thing I was doing for the other girls when I was trying to release their 

minds earlier, only bigger.  To everyone here."

            Mars looked sideways, "You need our power, like in the final battle-"

            "Yes, will you help me, friends?"

            Mercury laughed.  Venus smiled and shouted, "She sure does get all elegant when 

she gets princess-ey.  Of course, we will."  She paused.  "We always will."

            She looked at Sailor Sabi, "I'm going to try to fix some of this mess… but that 

woman, Hydrazite… she's still gonna be out there.  Do you know how to defeat her?"

            The other girl gave her a lop-sided grin, "If we did, we never would have tried to 

bring you here in the first place."

            Recognition dawned in the back of her mind, a thought of a certain crystal.  "You, 

you were the one who took Mamoru in the first place!"

            "And I haven't regretted anything more, ever.  But, I'll apologize later.  Now we 

have work to do."

            Tsukino Usagi screamed, threw a fit, cried out from the agony of pain and 

heartbreak she had gone through in the past weeks, and wished for the life of her that she 

could blast the girl standing before her.  On the outside Sailor Moon nodded.  "Yes, we 

do."

            "U—Usagi-chan??!?!"  They both swung towards the source of the new voice.

            Sailor Moon gaped, "Ann-chan!!!"

            Ann and Alan had somehow made their way towards the group and had shoved 

their way into the circle between Sailor Kioku and the green-haired senshi she hadn't met 

yet.  Venus and Mercury turned around and stared in shock for a moment before Mars 

shouted at them to keep the circle up.

            "Ann… Alan, what in the world-- planet-- universe-- what are you doing here?!?"

            "We'll tell you later," said Alan as he laid a hand on her shoulder and gestured 

down at Mamoru.  "But what just happened here?"

            Sailor Moon looked down.  She opened her mouth to reply, when Sailor Kioku 

screamed from behind Ann.  

*          *          *

            Risa cried out at the sight of her friend as she dove to her side.  Sage's shoulder 

and upper arm were smoking and it looked as if at least one layer of skin had been burned 

off.  She heard her mumble something about, "damn people, hit me in the same place 

twice" and then she passed out.

            Risa pulled her back towards Endymion, who still lay lifeless, and then jumped to 

fill the position in the circle.

            She shouted behind her, "Have the reunion later, fix everyone now Sailor Moon, 

before someone dies!!"  She bit back other angry words and fired out a Red Power Blast 

to intercept a glittering wave of purple hearts that were flying towards them.

*          *          *

            Sailor Moon nodded.  It was time.  She shouted back, "But you still think about 

that woman!"

            She turned and smiled at Ann and Alan, "Is there anyway I can borrow some of 

your power?"

            They looked at each other, then back at her.  "Of course," they answered in 

unison.  

            "Good.  Can you put your hands on my shoulders?"  They complied and then she 

turned and put her hands on Venus's shoulders.

            She turned to look at the others.  "Mercury, Mars, put your hands on Venus when 

I say now."  She waited to hear them shout back, then closed her eyes.

            Not quite sure of exactly what she should do, she began to think about how she 

had been treating the other girls earlier, helping free their memories.  Then she thought of 

Makoto, somewhere out there.  Then she thought about the faces, the countless faces of 

all those girls… reaching out, to all of them.

            A net began to form in her mind, and she could almost see all of them fighting.  

Their minds were cold, blank.  She touched one of them.  She felt a chill as she looked 

for the real person the girl once was.  It seemed like she was exploring an empty shell—

and then suddenly, she saw a glimmer.  From below.  

            Kind of like a blanket, covering them up.  Now I know how…

            She concentrated all of her power, "Okay… NOW!!"

*          *          *

            Risa wasn't sure exactly when it happened.  She had heard Sailor Moon scream, 

and then there was nothing.  But then she felt a wave of power behind her, and saw the 

light as a glint out of the corners of her eyes.  And, suddenly, no one was firing towards 

her anymore.  No one at all.

            She lowered her hands and watched.  Hundreds of girls stood on the field, staring 

at their hands, at each other, and at the confused people Risa knew as soldiers staring 

back at them.

            The entire plain was still for what seemed like an eternity.

            Then the sky screamed in anger.  "WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!"

            Everyone turned to stare up at the now darkened sky as the image of Hydrazite 

filled the view.

            Shitshitshitidunnowhattodoshitshitshit.  Risa spun around to find Sailor 

Moon staring defiantly at the image in the sky.  The other girl opened her mouth and 

shouted, "I have freed my friends, what to you want to do about it?"

            Hydrazite seemed to look down and see the small group for the first time.  Her 

eyes filled with anger as she looked at Sailor Moon.  "YOU.  I never should have used 

you.  I should have destroyed you before, just as you should have been a millennium ago.  

But I will rectify that mistake NOW before ANYthing else happens here."  The image in 

the sky glittered into nothingness.  Then the ground began to shake.  Everyone fell to 

their knees as a laugh began to fill the air. 

            "SAILOR MOON!!"  Risa heard the shout as she saw a senshi stumbling towards 

them. Leeota was at her heels.

            "Jupiter!" she heard one of the other girls call back.  

            Leeota fell to the ground next to Risa, "What are we going to do?!?"

            She just stared back at her.   

            Then, to her horror she saw the ground re-forming beneath where the image in the 

air had been.  It began to form a pillar.  As soon as it was formed, the air above it 

shimmered and Hydrazite fell through a hole in the sky.  Face first.  

            Risa might have laughed, had not the immediate future of her own mortality felt 

so dim in her mind.        

            Hydrazite screamed, and then stood, pointing towards Sailor Moon.  "You, and all 

your friends, YOU WILL DIE."

            There was a horrifying sound, and then hundreds of DarkNites poured into the 

field.  Screams erupted as frightened senshi, who had just been awakened and who did 

not have Hydrazite's command overriding their thoughts and actions, tried desperately to 

use their newfound powers.

            Sailor Moon was suddenly at her side.  "Have you thought of anything yet?"

            "No."

            The other girl smiled.  "Well, I'll just try what I know best."

            She stood then, and walked towards Hydrazite.  

            "You are the enemy of the light, and I cannot let you win."

*          *          *

            Sailor Moon had fought this battle before, she remembered how it was supposed 

to go.  She clenched her scepter in her hands before her and thought for a moment. 

            Then Princess Serenity of the Moon stood, eyes defiant.  

            "I shall crush you little girl!" shouted Hydrazite from her pedestal as orange 

power flared about her in a wild aura.  "I've gained more power in the past centuries than 

you can imagine.  You will never win against me."

            "True… I would never win… but we all, we ALL shall triumph over you."  She 

brought the scepter up to point straight at the dark queen.  "I offer you now, this chance 

to surrender, and come to the side of the light--"

            Hydrazite screamed in fury, and the orange buckled around her, "I will destroy 

your friends, I will destroy you, and I will CRUSH your PRECIOUS LIGHT!!"  Orange 

energy exploded from her and shot towards Serenity.

            But the Princess was ready, and her pink energy met the orange in a brilliant crash 

of energy and power.  They roiled, snapping and flashing, meeting almost dead center 

between the two.  

            "Never.  You will never destroy the light."

            Serenity called over her shoulder.  "Sailor Sabi, please get Endymion away from 

here."  

            She didn't even have to ask for the others, in seconds they were at her side.  After 

a moment's hesitation, Ann and Alan came to stand behind her, putting their hands on her 

shoulders again.

            She looked down at the already burning scepter, and then, screamed into the air.

            "MOON CRYSTAL POWER!!!"

*          *          *

            Risa heard Serenity ask her to move Endymion and she did so, immediately, 

without thinking, directing Leeota to grab Sage.

            They were just far enough away when they heard Serenity's battle cry.  Power 

blazed behind them and they fell forward.  Risa pushed herself up and turned to see a 

wall of pink energy erupting from the seven.

            "Good God."  

            Then suddenly Leeota blocked her view, blocking a DarkNite attack.  "Risa!!  

Help!  We have to figure out a way to get rid of the DarkNites!!"

            But Risa found she couldn't move.  Too fast… everything is happening too 

fast!!!

            Suddenly purple eyes stared into hers.  "Sailor Sabi… remember the words of the 

Queen."            

            Pluto.  The Queen.

            "You and Sailor Sabi must now save this world.  I have given 

her the power to use the power of others... Then together, you two must 

save Sabi."

            The Power.  She stood. 

            "INTERTWINED RED THUNDER!!"

            The DarkNites around her and Leeota disintegrated.  Leeota turned to look at her.  

"Leeota, we have to call out to everyone… I need their help."

            Leeota, who had always questioned everything, simply nodded and held out her 

hands.

            "Can we help, too?"

            Risa turned to see Endymion on his feet, helping up Sage.  Sage grinned at her 

tiredly, "Have a good idea for once?"

            She grinned, "For once, yes."

            She opened the circle to grasp Sage's hand.  Endymion took Leeota's left and 

Sage's right.

            Risa smiled at them.  "Just think of the Pathfinders… and tell them… tell them to 

concentrate, and send their power to me."

            "But they'll be defenseless!"

"Don't worry, we'll tell the soldiers to cover them, and it's not the DarkNites we have to 

worry about anyway.  If we destroy the source, I have a feeling they won't be any 

problem."

            "The source," asked Endymion, "But Sailor Moon will—"

            "Not without me.  I have it on a reliable source."

            "I believe it will work better if you stand in the middle."  Sailor Pluto stood next 

to her suddenly.  "I'd like to take your place in the circle, if you don't mind."

            Risa thought for a moment, then nodded released Leeota and Sage's hands to let 

Pluto into the circle.  She stood in the middle, facing Endymion.

            "We're ready."

            The others nodded.

            She gazed at Endymion for a moment, then closed her eyes.

            "Then let it begin."

*          *          *

            Fighting.  Everyone fighting.  DarkNites everywhere.  A voice, a voice in every 

Pathfinder's mind.  

            Everyone, its Risa, and I need your help.

            Anything Risa!  What do you need?

            We, together, we will all defeat Hydrazite, the one who has enslaved our planet 

and our people for centuries.

            Yes!!  But how?

            I need your power.  The soldiers will watch your bodies.  I need your minds 

and your power.  Send it to me.

            We want to, but how?

            Think of Sabi, of these rolling fields, of the sisters and brothers you have, or 

that you never met because of Hydrazite, of our homes and farms, of our precious 

fortresses.  Think of the good times, and think of Sabi, always Sabi, and how you want it 

to be free.

            Freedom!

            Sabi.

*          *          *

            Leeota watched quietly and then did as Risa asked in her mind.  She saw Sage and 

the others close their eyes, but she continued to look at Risa.

            And then her friend began to glow.   

            When she became so bright that she couldn't look anymore, she closed her eyes.  

She could feel the heat of the power on her face though, and she could see the light, clear 

as day, through her eyelids.

            She forgot it all though, and thought of Risa, how she loved her and Sage, and 

how she wanted them to be happy.  And she thought of Sabi, the elegant, simple planet 

that would be free…. free.

            Risa.

            Sabi.

*          *          *

            Serenity fought.  And was visibly failing.

            Jupiter fought as hard as she could, pouring her energy into her friend.  But she 

felt that in another minute, she'd pass out.  She glanced at Venus, and found the girl's 

eyes staring back at her, worriedly.  They'd fought this battle before, what was going on.  

Maybe she was too powerful—

            "Don't doubt yourselves!!" Serenity cried into the air.  "You are my precious 

friends, all of you, and you are strong, we will defeat her!"

            But her voice was weak.

            We can't do this much longer.

            She fought on.

*          *          *

            Everyone's thoughts, everyone's emotions, everything flowed through Risa.  She 

could feel their love for the planet and for her, and there was power, so much power.  She 

could feel herself glow. 

            She opened her eyes and screamed, "HYDRAZITE!!!"  

            She rose up then, and flew, sailing quickly through the air to hover just above 

Serenity.           

            The queen faltered in her attack on Serenity for just a moment, then screamed 

back at her.  "YOU!  I WILL DESTROY YOU AS WELL, AND YOUR GUARDIAN 

PLANET!"

            Risa just smiled, "Never."  

            She raised up her hands and cried, "THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE WANTED TO 

DO FOR A VERY LONG TIME!!!"

            She summoned the words of her ultimate Pathfinder Senshi attack, one she'd 

never used because of it's potency, but something she'd felt had been saved in her for this 

very moment, and poured into it every bit of energy she had collected, and every piece 

and fiber of her soul.

"DEATH ALL AROUND!!!"

Blood red energy erupted from every part of Risa's body and slammed into Hydrazite.

*          *          *          

            The soldiers whom Sage asked later couldn't even describe it.

            "It was an explosion," they said.  "A big one.  Bright and red, with pink on the 

edges."  Many said they had been temporarily blinded.

            "And then it was over, and Lady Risa… Lady Risa… she fell from the sky like an 

angel struck down from heaven…"

*          *          *

            The explosion rocked the field with light and sound, knocking every living thing 

flat.

            And then after a moment, everything was quiet again.  Fighters looked for the 

DarkNite enemies they had just been fighting and found them gone.  

            Then all eyes looked for the pillar, for the queen.

            They saw a blackened mound of soil.    

            Suddenly a cry went up across the field, a joyous shout.  Then another, then 

another.  Smiling people stood, yelled out.  An overwhelming sense of a shared 

thought… a common idea… the collective dream come true could be felt…

            FREEDOM

*          *          *

            As Endymion opened his eyes and struggled to get to his feet, he was smiling.  He 

felt he would laugh out loud himself as he heard the cries raised up around the field.  

They had won!  

            He helped Sage to her feet carefully.  The girl smiled up at him, then looked past 

him.  Her face contorted with horror.  "Risa…" she whispered.

            He turned and followed her gaze.  She suddenly screamed, "RISA!!" and bolted 

past him.  Leeota passed him on the right.  He ran after them.

            He was met with a sight that darkened his soul.  On the left Sage and Leeota 

sobbing over Risa's lifeless body… and on the right… Mercury, Venus, Mars, and 

Jupiter bent over a fallen Princess Serenity…

            Usagi!

            His mind never considered the left as he ran to the scene on the right.  Physically 

moving Venus out of the way, he knelt down next to Serenity and touched the side of her 

face gently.  "Usagi?"

            He sighed, relieved, as he realized she was still breathing.  "Usako," he 

whispered, "my princess, please wake up."  He carefully pulled her into his arms.  He ran 

his hand again down the side of her face.

            She smiled softly and then opened her eyes.  They were instantly filled with tears.  

"Endymion.  Mamo-chan."  She swallowed, "I've missed you."

            The joy he had been feeling surged back into him, and doubled.  "Shhh, you're 

tired… rest."  He found himself crying as well.

            She shook her head and was suddenly pulling herself up and into his arms.  He 

pulled her up the rest of the way and held her, trying not to sob into her hair.  He shut his 

eyes, trying to fight the tears.  He finally gave up and opened them.  Jupiter and Mars 

smiled teary-eyed at him… and beyond them… Sage…

            Risa!

            He released his love and looked down into her confused eyes.  "My friends, I 

have to help them."

            She smiled and nodded

            He moved quickly the short distance to where Risa lay.  She lay there, unmoving, 

as Sage and Leeota cried over her.  Several other Pathfinders had begun to gather around 

as well.  He reached fingers out to find her pulse, and discovered that she didn't have one.

            "Risa PLEASE!"  Endymion looked to Leeota as she cried out.  "Please come 

back!  The dream will be for nothing if you die!  Risa!"  She sobbed and cried into her 

hands.

            He looked down at the girl whom had dragged him away from his love, away 

from his world, but whom had been as great a friend to him as any other… Risa  

            Suddenly he turned and looked over his shoulder, only to find that Serenity was 

always standing there.  "Princess, do you think that maybe--"

            She was already moving towards the older girl.  As Sage and Leeota saw her, they 

moved away and gazed at her, hope beginning to dawn on their features.  

            Serenity placed Risa's head in her lap, placed her hands on the side of her head, 

and closed her eyes.

*          *          *

            Risa was standing once again in a flowing red dress amidst the ruins of the Moon 

Kingdom.  "Well, at least this time at least I can be sure I am dead."

            "Ah, but you aren't my dear child, trust me, you wouldn't be here had you 

perished.  My daughter brings you back as we speak."

            "Queen Serenity?"  Risa called as she turned to find the source of the voice… but 

there wasn't anyone.  It was just a voice.  "Queen Serenity??"

            "I am sorry, but I have no strength left to appear in any form.  My power is finally 

spent.  I'll be moving on to the other side very soon."

            "But--"

            If a voice could smile, Risa heard it. "Do not worry my Senshi…

                                    "Now that your freedom has been gained,

                                                the dark night's fumbling will be undone;

                                    Only the one brought by the light will remain.

                                                The outworlders left will be but one…"

            Risa turned to look around again, "What does that mean, I don't understand."

            "Only you can make the right."

*          *          *

            Suddenly Risa was no longer on the moon.  She was lying somewhere, and she 

hurt, all over.  And people… people were crying over her.

            She slowly opened her eyes.  Endymion filled her view.  He was smiling brightly 

at her.  She slowly smiled back at him and then someone was hugging her fiercely.  The 

mass of green hair in her eyes could only mean Sage.  Sage crying.

            "Oh Risa!  I thought you were gone!"

            Sage moved away after a minute and grinned at her, teary-eyed.  "We won!  You 

won.  You did it."

            Risa discovered several people surrounded her.  All of the moon system senshi, 

Leeota and Sage, Endymion… then she looked directly up.

            The eyes of a goddess stared back down at her.

            Risa gasped.  "P- Prin- cess-,  I-I…" her mind jumbled her words.

            "Shh, you were hurt very badly.  You'll be in pain for a little while, but right now 

you need to rest.  Just rest and let yourself be taken care of."  She smiled, "You've won 

your world." she paused, "My friend."

            Now that your freedom has been gained??

            She looked at Leeota, who grinned at her.

            Then a startled cry rose from the field.  Those surrounding Risa turned to look in 

that direction.  Risa struggled to push herself up to see.  The Princess absently tried to 

make her lay back down, but Risa broke her light grasp and in the end Leeota helped her 

to her feet.

            She gasped along with the others at what they saw.  Senshi were rapidly 

disappearing from the field.  One after another they vanished in a wash of their respective 

colors.

            The dark night's fumbling will be undone

            Dark nights?  DarkNites?  

            "Oh no." she voiced aloud, "It's happening… just like she said…"

            The others turned to look at her, "What's happening?" asked Endymion carefully.

            "Something, well, now that the evil is gone, the DarkNite actions are being 

reverted."

            Venus suddenly smiled brilliantly, beaming, "We all get to go home!!"

            The others smiled and cheered as the hundreds of senshi on the field continued to 

disappear.

            Risa was still troubled… what was the other part…

            Only the one brought by the light will remain

            Brought by the light?  Who…

            Her soul went cold.

*          *          *

            Suddenly the Princess saw Sailor Sabi's face pale.  Her first thought was that the 

girl was going to faint again.  But then the older girl turned and looked in her eyes, and 

she knew it was more, much more… and she knew exactly what was going to happen.

            She instantly sought out Endymion and dove at him with a strangled cry.

            Startled, he looked down at her, "What's wrong?"

            She looked in his eyes, then looked back out to the field, hoping he would 

understand.  She couldn't voice it, she couldn't even think it.  

            Only a third of the alien senshi still stood on the field.

            She looked back into his eyes then, hoping he understood, wishing the world 

would stop and that what she knew was about to happen would not.

            A great pain tore at her heart… it hurt… oh how it hurt…

            His eyes suddenly filled with shock, then with anger, "NO!!" he shouted, pulling 

her against him tightly.  "NO!  It won't happen, I swear it!  If you go, I'm going too—

otherwise you're staying… NO!!"

            She held him back fiercely.  Everything else faded out.  It was just they, alone, 

fighting to stay together.

            She sobbed against his chest, clinging to him.  Her whole body shook.

            He was murmuring into her hair, nothing would happen, he said, he'd hold her.  

His voice was broken, shaky, but his arms held her tightly, almost painfully, against him.  

She felt his tears and his pain.

            Suddenly she heard a cry and knew Venus was gone.  She sensed Jupiter, then 

Mars, then Mercury go as well…

            She was the last one left.  And then, within her, she felt herself teleporting.  She 

fought it desperately, with all the strength she had left.  It wasn't helping…

            She looked up at her Prince.  His eyes were red, his features wrought with agony.

            "No."  he whispered, "Please, no…"

            She could feel herself surrounded with light.

            "I love you," she whispered.

*          *          *

            And then she was gone.

*          *          *

            Endymion's arms, so abruptly empty, tightened around himself.

            No…  He closed his eyes, then opened them, hoping to wake up from the 

nightmare, but never was such a hope so unreal.  It was true all right, all of it, and so 

vividly real.

            He fell to his knees, with his head in his hands.  Then flung them away, screaming 

into the air, "NOO!!!"

            Then he screamed pain as he began to glow and his armor shredded from his 

body.  Without Serenity…  

            The body of Mamoru Chiba fell to the ground.

*          *          *

            As Risa watched the scene, something… many things inside of her hurt.

            the outworlders left will be but one

            She looked at Ann and Alan for a moment.  They were ignorant of everything 

else, clinging to each other, crying.  

            Only one outworlder, huh.  So they have decided to stay…

            Then she turned, as she heard the cry as Serenity disappeared.

            Endymion fell to his knees, and then his armor…

            Risa moved forward and ended up falling, pained, to the side of Mamoru's body.

            "Mamoru!!"

            Nononono, why is this happening!  Why why!  This is all my fault!

            He was awake, suddenly, crying out in pain.  She tried to touch him, but he 

shoved her away as he tried to get to his feet.

            "Usagi!" he sobbed.  "No, no, NO!"

            He moved suddenly, as if to run, and she flung herself onto him.  "You can't!  

You can't run off again!  Your pain… I know, I'm so sorry I—but you can't run off, you 

just can't--"

            He looked into her eyes.  They were empty.  She gasped.  Then suddenly they 

were filled with tears.  

            "Usagi.." he moaned.  He cried.

            She held him.  Sage and Leeota moved to hold her.  Ann and Alan stood, unsure.

            Oh Serenity, this is all my fault… I'm so so sorry.  Why!!  Why does it have to 

be like this!

            It does… or does it?

            Only you can make the right

End Ep. 15

_~~!!@@##$$%%^^&&**(())__++_

_My Spot :_

_I now have writing music recommendations.  For this story I set up winamp to cycle a _

_bunch of songs, but the ones I found most useful were Kimura Yuki's "Deep Sky Heart" _

_and Ace of Base "Waiting for Magic (Total Remix)".  I don't know why, but a good beat _

_is nice when you are writing attack sequences.  And I looped Moon Romance and Power _

_of Love (I like that song okay, give me a break) for the final battle.  I still don't know _

_which one I liked better in the scene._

_Oh, and I thought about the clinging then disappearing thing four years ago, long before _

_I ever saw Fushigi Yuugi, and I wanted it like that, so I left it that way.  _

_Yes, this was the last episode.  But, there will be an epilogue to wrap things up._

_Sailor Moon is ©Naoko Takeuchi_

_But I © this to me, ©2000 MJade Productions _

_… And I truly hope she doesn't mind …_


	16. Epilogue

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By MakotoJade : makotojade@hotmail.com

Epilogue : An Ending

(the part where I try to wrap things up)

            Risa stood, looking out over the balcony of the castle she had won.  The tops of the trees surrounding the building swayed in the breeze.  Beyond them, the fields began, where she could see figures moving about.  She could hear occasional voices echoing up from open windows somewhere on the floors below.  The first moon was rising over the far horizon.  Its sister would soon follow it.  And the sun…

            She glanced down at her watch.  "The sun should be setting in about twenty minutes…" She looked back out into the distance.  Slowly, she breathed in, held it, and then slowly exhaled.  

            _Even the air tastes different.  Cleaner… fresher… It feels like… it feels like…_

            "Peace," she voiced her thought aloud and let the word roll around the room.  "Peace."

            Taking it all in, one last time, she turned and walked back into the room.  Her room.  Her own space.  In all her life she had never owned anything, and now she had this.  Sage and the leaders of all the soldiers had been setting everything up.  Plans that were once dreams were being enacted.  People were settling in, helping out, learning… society…

            "Is it society?" she mumbled to herself as she searched through her things.  "What is a society anyways…"

            Before there had been two things.  Fighting and dying.  Now there was something new, something sought after, something won.  Living.

            And Risa didn't know what to do with it.

She couldn't do anything to help out.  Everywhere she went somebody, if not everybody, was staring at her.  She was some sort of a goddess or something.  Many had taken to calling her "Lady Risa".  Basically it annoyed her to no end.  Because of this she had carefully bowed out of any leadership responsibility and left Sage in charge of the Pathfinders.  It scared her to think that if she were in charge, people might take to worshiping her or something.  

Every once in awhile someone came by and tried to convince her to do something and she carefully argued her way out of it and then sent them on their way.  But that just left free time… and just what the hell was she supposed to do with that.  Not that she didn't have a few ideas of whom she'd like to—

Risa shook her head.  _That's why I came up with this plan in the first place isn't it?  Because of how much… how much I-- _

Her hand suddenly fell upon what she had been searching for.  She picked it up and stared at it.

"Because of how much I love him."

She cracked the seal on the silver object.  "Begin recording."

*          *          *

            Ann stood watching as Alan finally got to his feet, wiping his hands on a towel.  "Do you think it will take?" she asked, worriedly.

            He turned to look at her, grinning.  "Can't you feel it?  It already has!"

            And then she did feel it.  A strengthening.  Suddenly she was not just feeling the energy from the tree, but from every living thing around her.  

            The tree had found it's home.  And so had they.

            Alan stepped up to her and put his arms around her, pulling her close.

            "We're home." She whispered.  For so long they had traveled, fought, been confused and alone.  And now… and now…

            She gasped.  Alan pulled away from her and looked at her, "Ann, what's wrong?"

            She could feel it.  Just behind her bellybutton…  She stood with her hand on her stomach as Alan looked on.  But how… the tree was supposed to…

            "Alan… Alan I think… "  She looked up into his confused eyes.  "Alan, I think I'm going to have a baby…"

            "But the tree is the one who gave life to us—  are you sure—"

She blinked hard as the tiny light within her swelled.  The life force surged through her body, pushing at Alan through his and Ann's connection.

Ann opened her eyes to meet Alan's.  His smile was as brilliant as any of the suns they had seen on their journey.  "Then it's ours then… yours and mine?"

She nodded, words catching in her throat.

He pulled her to him again, pausing only to kiss her firmly and then burying his face in her hair.  "I love you."

She could feel the tears in her eyes.  Everything was perfect.  "I love you, too."

Finally.  Joy.

*          *          *

            Mamoru Chiba, once, long ago, Prince Endymion of Earth stood and gazed out over the fields of this foreign land he had lived upon for these past weeks.  Children ran in circles in the distance.  Men and women wandered, walking in and out of the surrounding trees.  Everything was peaceful.  A part of him was glad.  He had helped to bring this about; he had brought an end to the reign of a dark queen… one of his old friends…

            He leaned against an archway, before him steps led down into the trees below, behind him the archway opened onto the ancient ruin that Hydrazite had modified into her castle.  Sage and several new "officials" had taken up residence here and had dubbed it the new capital.  Sage had begun to rebuild her giant computer; somehow she still had all of her old data.  Government was beginning.  Life was going on.

            Only, his was not.  He was dying.

            Sighing he slid down and sat on the top step.  He could see the sun on the horizon in the distance.  Both moons were now in the sky.  It was a beautiful sight. 

            And tears came to his eyes.  It shocked him.  He had thought that by now his body was beyond tears.  He let them fall though, and stared up at the first moon.  

            If he let his mind play tricks on him… which he did every waking moment now… he could see the rabbit, upside down, grinning at him.  The rabbit of the moon.  Tsuki no Usagi.

            He reached his hand into his coat pocket and pulled out the leather pouch he had procured this morning.  He pulled it open and stared down at the gleaming silver blade, etched with old-age writings.

            There was nothing else.  He knew that now.  For a time he thought it would go away, this feeling within him.  He thought his powers were linked to Sailor Moon.  And they were, to a certain extent.  But they depended, he now realized, on his own magic as well.  His own magic that had been fading since he had come to this place.  His magic drawn from his protectorate.  From his ancient home.  From Earth.  

Usagi's presence had helped him when she was here.  He had realized though, that even if she had remained here, with him, that he would still have gone through the downward spiral he was now cascading down, it just would have taken longer.

He was the last Prince of Earth.  And he had abandoned his home.  With all his heart he hoped Sailor Moon would protect it always and would be able to do so without his power.

Sick at heart, he slowly stroked the dagger.  He looked back up at the horizon.

"Sunset.  I'll wait for the sunset."

"To do what?"

Mamoru, recognizing the voice, didn't even reply.

"Well?"

Silence.

Risa suddenly sat down next to him.  She looked down at his hands.   "To kill yourself?  That's just a wonderful idea there.  What about all the rest of us?  Don't you think we could use your help?  You come from a planet of many nations.  You could help us to begin our world, to begin our new lives.  Instead you're suicidal?  Besides, I … we… all of us need you, we need you alive.  We all love you and care about you.  You'll always have a home here, you—"

"This isn't my home."

As soon as he said it, he felt bad, but it was there, he'd said it.  "It's not my home Risa, and it will never be my home.  I'm sorry.  But my heart can never belong here."

"Your heart."  He heard her mumble it and looked over to her.

They sat for a few minutes in silence.  Beyond them the sun slowly sank into the horizon and the moons began to glow.

"Still," he heard her begin again, "still you don't have to kill yourself.  You could go on.  You don't have to die.  Maybe someday we'll find another fortress that has the crystal technology.  Then we can send you home."

He sighed, looked away from her and up into the sky.  "I can't, Risa.  It's not that simple."  He paused, and then looked down at her.  "I'm dying Risa.  I can feel it.  I can't even walk very far anymore without getting tired.  I won't let it go on anymore."

Flustered, she ran over the words as they worriedly tumbled out, "Sage, she could help you though, she's offered.  We all know you feel sick, and that, well, you're depressed, but—"

Something in him awakened.  A pain.  

_No one, no one is listening!!_  

"You DON'T understand!" he jerked his hand out and grabbed her shoulder.  He pulled her towards him.  "Look, look into my eyes, can't you see it?"

"See what?  Hey!  You're hurting—" her eyes connected with his suddenly, and she gasped.

*          *          *

            Empty.  Behind his eyes was emptiness, a void.  

            She pulled away from him, shocked.  "How—how do you—"

            "How do I know I look like that?  When I look in a mirror, I can't seem to see myself anymore.  It's like I'm fading out of existence.  I was born of a planet, not just on it.  Without it, I am wasting away."  He let go of her and laid both hands over the silver blade.  "I just want it all to end."

            Risa stared down at her own hands.  "It's all my fault- it has been since the beginning.  If I hadn't pulled you here and then made you stay—"

            He reached over and put two fingers on her lips.  "Haven't we already gone over this?  It happened, it's the past… no regrets."  He lowered his hand.  

            They looked at each other for a moment.  Then he turned and looked back over to the horizon.

            She followed his gaze.  She felt horrible.  Her heart ached.  And not for her own feelings, but for him.  She was killing him.   Oh, he could say what he wanted, but she had brought him here, she had caused everything.  And, supposively, the good of the planet should outweigh the cost of one man.

_Only you can make the right._

            But not this man.  Not for her.  

            Risa closed her eyes and breathed in, tasting that air that she had earlier, that feeling of peace.  She opened her eyes to twilight on her planet.  Her Sabi.  She could understand what he meant, could feel its power calling to her.  Risa was a senshi though; she had power to sustain herself on another world.  She wondered how much more powerful Sage or Leeota would be if they were on their own home planets.

            She took it all in.  Moment.

            Then she turned to Mamoru.  "Before I do this thing that I'm about to do, I have to tell you something."

            "I have to tell you… that I love you…"

*          *          *

            Sage, her feet aching and her eyes fighting to stay open, slowly stumbled through her room and fell down on her bed.  Meeting after meeting, day after day.  Who knew running a planet could be so difficult?  Hydrazite had never shown any stress.  "Ah yes, but then again she was a 1,000 year old witch of dark magic.  I'm sure she had the best routine in place about 986 years ago and then let it run on and on.  I wonder how her feet never hurt in those stiletto heels all the time though.  I'd like to have some dark spell for my feet, darn senshi boots.  Couldn't I have had sandals or something… noooo."

She moaned and rolled over.  Something dug into her back and she sat up with a yelp.  She called up the lights and then saw a small message wafer gleaming behind her on the mattress.

Sage reached for it, confused, and then activated it. 

Risa's face hovered above it instantly.  "Hey Sage.  Sorry if you land on this when you fall into bed tonight.  It's the one place I knew you'd find it though.  Hopefully you'll find it before… well, before rumors start flying.  Then you can tell everyone what really happened."

Risa's opening comments had produced a chuckle… but her last few words, and the sudden strange "why isn't she telling me this in person" feeling that was creeping over her, left Sage far from laughter now.

            "I've been doing a little meditation, some study into my own abilities and what I know of Senshi power.  I've come up with something and, if it works, I'll be able to have our Prince home before the next sunrise."

            Something caught in Sage's throat and she pushed herself to her feet.

            "I've modified my own teleportation so that I alone can carry someone.  I know I've shown others how to do it before in threes and fours, but now I can do it on my own."

            "No Risa… you wouldn't…"

            "I have been practicing and I'm fairly certain I can achieve the journey.  Unfortunately, I think that when I get to my destination, I'll be drained of all my powers… and I'll most likely… well…"

            "RISA!!"  Sage grabbed the message wafer up and ran from the room, searching… where would she be…

            The recorded Risa went on.  "Anyways, if I link my mind with Mamoru's I'll be able to find the Earth.  I have to do this Sage.  It's my fault he's here, I'm the only one who can fix this and send him home.  Besides Sage… I love him…"

            "Dammit, that's not a reason Risa!!"  She was running through the halls, people were staring out of their doors at her as she flew downstairs towards the main hall.

            "I love him and I can't live know that I've wronged our Prince and the Princess of the Moon Kingdom.  We are pledged to protect them both until the end, aren't we?"

            "That was A THOUSAND YEARS AGO!!"

            "Sage, you're my best friend in the world… hell, in our universe if you want to think about the grand scale of all of this.  I'll love you in my heart forever and I hope you can understand why I did this.  And I know you'll protect Sabi for me.  All of the rest of the wands are in my room Sage, someday, someday maybe more senshi will be reborn, and you can help them on their way.  Thank you Sage.  Tell Leeota goodbye for me as well… I don't have time or the strength to leave her a message.  Please Sage, don't hate me.  It's all for the best, really.  Maybe you'll understand someday."

            "NO!!  Risa… Risa… where would you do this at---"

            She came around a corner and slammed into Leeota as the message came to an end.

            "I love all of you, forever and ever.  Please protect Sabi and the peace you've found.  Please be happy.  Goodbye."

            Sage hit the floor and was instantly on her feet again.  She roughly pulled Leeota up as the other girl gasped for breath, "What was that?" she managed.

            "Its Risa," replied Sage, "And we have to find her… NOW!!"  And with that she sprinted off, Leeota stumbling after her.

*          *          *

            Mamoru blinked.  "You…"

            "Yes, I love you."

            She leaned over to him, and kissed him.

            He sat in shock and realized only after she had pulled away that he had not kissed her back.

            Risa looked down at her hands for a moment, then back up into his eyes.  "And I want you to be happy, always.  And I want you to live."

            She stood, and reached a hand down to him.

            Still in shock, he took it, and let her pull him to his feet.  He let her pull the dagger from his hands.  She threw it beyond them.  It clattered down the stairs.

            "You will live.  I promise you that.  I will give back what I have taken away.  I'm the only one who can, Serenity told me herself."

            "Sailor Moon?" he asked, stupidly.

            Risa smiled softly, "No."  She held up her hands.  "Here, put your hands against mine."

            "But—but what—"

            "Please do it."

            And he did.  Instantly a red sphere shimmered into existence around them.  "What… what are you—"

            "RISA!!  DON'T DO IT!!"

            Mamoru turned to see Sage running at them.  Leeota stood away, seemingly in shock.  Sage slammed into the red sphere and was thrown back yards, crashing into the stone floor of the open area beyond them. 

            In a moment though, she was on her feet again and was standing, screaming next to them.  "RISA!!  YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS!!"  Tears were streaming down her face.

            He turned to look at Risa, whose eyes hadn't left his face.  "Risa!  What are you doing?"

            "I'm taking you home."

            Sage pounded fists against the red wall, "NO RISA!!  STOP, please!! Please stop pleasepleasestopstopnononono…"

            Mamoru tried to pull his hands away from Risa's.  "You can't… it's too far… the power… Risa… Risa you'll—"

            "I'll die?  I've done that before."

            He stared at her.  Suddenly her voice was richer, older.  Her eyes shone like rubies as they pierced into his diminishing soul.

            _The princess of Sabi… I remember…_

            She smiled at him.

            _As do I… from so long ago…It seems that only now I find myself again…_

_Risa…you don't have to do this… I can't let you die._

_Will you remember me?_

_Always._

_Well then, I'll never really die, now will I?_

He leaned down then and kissed her, deeply.  She returned it.

And then with a deafening crack, they were gone.

*          *          *

            Sage cried at the spot for what seemed like an eternity.  After a time, she realized Leeota was across from her with her head in her hands.

            She looked around.  All the Pathfinders had been drawn to the spot, it seemed.  They stood, staring at the two of them.  Watching and waiting.  

            Sage slowly pushed herself to her feet.  Leeota looked up at her and then stood up beside her.

            With her voice trembling, she addressed the crowd.  "Risa is gone.  She has atoned for all of our crimes in bringing the prince of Earth here.  She has repaid a debt she felt she owed.  And I—" she gasped and choked back a sob, "And I understand why she did it… and why she had to do it and I … and I…"

            She sobbed again, and Leeota's arms were around her, holding her up.  And then they all were around them both.  A wave of sadness seemed to blanket them all.  Sage hadn't realized how much the others had felt towards Risa.

            After a time, she stood on her own again and let the message wafer run again, for all to see.

            Then, Sage put it in her pocket, hugged her arms to herself and looked around her.  "We'll do what she asked won't we?  Do you all vow, here and now, to protect Sabi, and to preserve our peace?"

            There were affirmative shouts from all around her.

            "Then let's do it.  Let us do it for her, for forever."

            Slowly, after a time they all wandered off.  Leeota went to sit at the spot on the stairs where they had disappeared and stared off into the night.  Sage came and stood behind her.

            "We'll fight forever for you Risa."

            "And I do forgive you… wherever you are…"

**        **        **

            Tsukino Usagi stared at the ceiling of her room.  Her friends were all over at her house for a sleepover, it was just like old times…

            Makoto leaned over her.  "Do you think there's a senshi for every planet then?"

            She shook her head.  She heard the others take on the conversation around her.  "There must be, Mako-chan, we saw them all with our own eyes."

            "But only 295 or whatever, how far did the Moon Kingdom reach.  How many planets were under Serenity's control."

            "Oh, I wish we could have all of our old memories back—"

            Usagi rolled over to stare at her window.  The conversation always came back to the same thing.  None of them could get over what had happened to them, what they had seen.

            The rose she had taken from Mamoru's apartment when she had left it was on the windowsill, in one of her old vases.  It had long since wilted; it was bent over the side of the vase, brown and dead.

            It was how she felt inside.

            "Usagi… Usagi-chan…"

            She rolled back over to face Minako.

            "How are you feeling?"

            A wave of something spilled over her as she growled, "How am I FEELING!!!"

            And then she burst into tears.

            "I'll never see him again.  He's alive… somewhere out there and I'll never be able to find him.  It would have been better if we'd never been taken there, if I still thought he was dead… at least I would be able to go on… but I can't--- I can't do this anymore—I need him, I can't do any of this without him, I just can't—" she broke off into a sob and buried her face in her hands.

            She felt her friends around her, hugging her…

            And then the strangest sensation tugged at her.  She heard Rei gasp.

            They all looked over at the other side of the room.

            There was a red glimmer hovering in the air.  Usagi stood… moving towards it, and then it suddenly expanded into a giant red sphere knocking her back onto the floor.  

            A voice was suddenly in her mind.

            _Serenity?_

            She recognized it at once.

            _SABI!!!_

            _Serenity please forgive me.  I am trying to repay my debt to you, and I know this will help.  I hope someday you can find it in your heart to forgive me…but please… I can't hold on any longer…_

            _But… but what?!?_

            _Please love him, love him forever._

            And then the red bubble burst.  Mamoru lay, crumpled, on the floor.

            Usagi stared for a moment, and then was instantly at his side.  She could hear her friends gasping behind her.

            He stirred and then opened his eyes.

            She stared down at him, her eyes filling with tears. 

            His eyes lit up with a joy that made her heart break.  He pushed himself up and swept his arms around her.  He held her to him, tightly.  "I love you," he whispered.

            "I love you, too."

*          *          *          

            Now, actually, the bubble didn't burst, per say.  It sort of… diminished instantaneously.  It went from being a sphere to a glimmer so quickly that no one in the room noticed.

            Even in the moments afterwards, the occupants in the room were so swept up in their happiness and greetings, that no one noticed the glimmer fade in and out, drifting around the room.

            Then, it fell upon the rose in the window.

            That rose would bloom for a very long time…

_~~!!@@##$$%%^^&&**(())__++   
  
My Spot:   
So I'm done.  Thank the maker.  How long have I been off and on writing that? Gee, only 5 years?  Only?  Or is it 6?  Who's counting?  Demosthenes, I hope you like it._

_Some may ask why this is an epilogue and not Episode 16.  Well because I said so, darn it!  No, but really, as I have been writing this I have discovered that I liked writing my own characters more than I liked writing Naoko's.  So, as Episode 15 concluded 'their' battle, I thought that concluded 'their' major story.  I only had to wrap up to get rid of Mamoru, so to speak.  Well, and Risa too… or is she really gone?  After all, this is _SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without.  _There could always be a _SailorsPathfinder : The Next Generation_ or something else absurdly horrible.  Another day perhaps, another day._

_Sailor Moon is ©Naoko Takeuchi   
But I © this to me, ©2001 MJade Productions   
... And I truly hope she doesn't mind ..._

_June 15, 2001_


End file.
